JLv 


MAFCf  H.NORTHEND 


I 


3M 


REMODELED 
FARMHOUSES 


THE  CURTIS  HOUSE  FROM  THE  ROADSIDE 


REMODELED 
FARMHOUSES 


BY 


MARY   H.   NORTHEND 

AUTHOR  OF  '«  COLONIAL  HOMES  AND  THEIR  FURNISHINGS 
"HISTORIC  HOMES  OF  NEW  ENGLAND,"   ETC. 


WITH  NUMEROUS  ILLUSTRATIONS 


BOSTON 

LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY 
1915 


Copyright,  /p/5, 
BY  LITTLE,   BROWN,  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rights  reserved 
Published,  October,  1915 


NorfoooB 
Set  up  and  electrotyped  by  J.  S.  Gushing  Co.,  Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 

Printed  by 
Louis  E.  CROSSCUP,  BOSTON,  U.  S.  A. 


Architects!*  I 
Urban  Planning 
Library 

NA 


I    DEDICATE    THIS    BOOK 

TO    MY    FRIENDS    IN    MY    NATIVE    CITY 

TO    WHOM    I    AM    INDEBTED 

FOR    MANY    KINDNESSES 


PREFACE 

THERE  is  a  certain  fascination  connected  with  the 
remodeling  of  a  farmhouse.  Its  low,  raftered  interior, 
its  weather-beaten  exterior,  never  fail  to  appeal.  Types 
vary  with  the  period  in  which  they  were  built,  but  all 
are  of  interest. 

In  this  collection,  which  has  been  pictured  with  great 
care,  pains  have  been  taken  to  show  as  many  different 
types  as  possible,  so  that  the  student  will  be  able  to 
find  numerous  interesting  details  that  can  be  incorpo- 
rated into  his  contemplated  remodeling.  In  the  study 
of  this  work  I  have  grown  to  feel  a  deep  reverence  for 
the  old  homes  of  our  forefathers,  and  have  come  to 
realize  as  never  before  the  care  and  painstaking  thor- 
oughness of  the  old  master  builders. 

I  wish  to  thank  the  owners  of  these  homes  who 
have  so  kindly  thrown  open  their  doors  to  my  inspec- 
tion, and  who  have  told  me  the  interesting  stories 
connected  with  the  houses. 

[vii] 


PREFACE 

Acknowledgment  should  be  made  to  American  Homes 
and  Gardens  for  permission  to  use  various  articles  of 
mine  which  they  have  previously  published. 

In  the  contents  of  this  book  I  trust  there  may  be 
much  of  value  to  those  who  are  contemplating  the 
remodeling  of  a  farmhouse  and  that  the  work  will 
bring  to  them  the  same  enjoyment  that  the  study  of 
the  subject  has  brought  to  me. 

MARY  H.    NORTHEND. 
AUGUST,  1915. 


[viii] 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 


PREFACE vii 

I.     IRISTHORPE I 

II.      LlMOVADY 15 

III.  THE  KITTREDGE  HOUSE  z8 

IV.  THE  CURTIS  HOUSE      .        .        .        .  38 
V.    GREEN  MEADOWS 49 

VI.    NAWN  FARM 61 

VII.    BOULDER  FARM 71 

VIII.    THREE  ACRES 84 

IX.  THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE      .        .        .     ico 

X.  THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE  .        .        .no 

XL  THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE   .     124 

XII.  THE  CHARLES  MARTIN  LOEFFLER  HOUSE    .     136 

XIII.  LITTLE  ORCHARD 146 

XIV.  WlLLOWDALE 155 

XV.  THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  ESTATE       .        .     166 

XVI.  THE  W.  P.  ADDEN  HOUSE    .        .        .        .177 

XVII.  THE  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  HOUSE  .        .187 

XVIII.  THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE      .        .        .198 

XIX.  THJE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE     .        .        .208 

XX.  THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE  .        .     220 

XXL  HENRY  W.  WRIGHT'S  HOUSE        .        .        .231 

XXII.  THE  HOWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE   .        .     243 

INDEX 255 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

THE  CURTIS  HOUSE  FROM  THE  ROADSIDE     .          .          .   Frontispiece 

FACING  PACK 

IRISTHORPE,   FRONT  VIEW  ......          4 

The  Entrance  Porch 5 

From  the  Garden      .......          8 

The  Entrance  Porch,  Another  View     ....          9 

The  Dining  Room,  and  the  Living  Room  .  .  .12 
The  Morning  Room,  and  the  Out-door  Living  Room  .  1 3 

LIMOVADY,   REAR  VIEW  FROM  THE  GARDEN  .          .          .18 

Side  View 19 

Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room  .          .          .          .22 

The  Dining  Room,  and  the  Lounge  .  .  .  .23 
Two  of  the  Chambers  ......  26 

AN  OLD  CAPE  COD  HOUSE       ....  .27 

Side  View        ........        30 

The  Attic  Chamber,  and  the  Living  Room     .  .31 

The  Kitchen -36 

THE  CURTIS  HOUSE,  THE  ENTRANCE  PORCH          .  -37 

Before  Remodeling,  and  Remodeled  .  .  .  .42 
The  Hall  and  Unique  Stairway  .  .  .  .  .43 
Side  View,  and  the  Dining  Room  ....  48 

xi 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

GREEN  MEADOWS,  FRONT  VIEW 49 

An  Old-fashioned  Chamber,  and  the  Living  Room  .          .        56 
Two  Views  of  the  Den 57 

NAWN  FARM,   FRONT  VIEW       ......        64 

Rear  View,  and  the  Living  Room         .          .          .          .65 

Two  Views  of  the  Dining  Room  ....       68 

The  China  Closet  in  the  Dining  Room  ...        69 

BOULDER  FARM,   FRONT  VIEW   ......        74 

The  Front  Doorway  .          .          .          .          .          -75 

The  Hall  .          .          .          .          .          .          .78 

The  Den,  and  the  Parlor 79 

Two  Views  of  the  Dining  Room  ....        84 

THREE  ACRES,   FROM  THE  MAIN  ROAD         .          .          .          .85 

Front  View     ........       90 

Side  View        .          .          .          .          .          .          .  91 

A  Corner  of  the  Living  Room      .          .          .          .          .94 

The  Living  Room,  and  the  Dining  Room       .          .  95 

THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE  ON  CAPE  COD  .  .  .100 

Front  View     .          .          .          .  .  .  .  .101 

Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room  .  .  .  .106 

The  Attic  Chambers           .          .  .  .  .107 

THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE         .          .          .          ,  .112 

.The  Hallway  .          .          .          .          .          .          .  .113 

The  Sun- Parlor  or  Out-door  Nursery,  and  the  Library  .      1 1 8 

Two  of  the  Chambers         .          .          .          .          .  .119 

The  Nursery,  and  the  Service  Wing     .          .          .  .      1 24 

xii 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

THE  CHARLES  E.   INCHES  HOUSE,   FRONT  VIEW  SHOWING  THE 

OLD  WELL       .         .         .         .         .         .         .125 

Before  Remodeling    .          .          .          .          .          .          .130 

Across  the  Lawn       .          .          .          .          .          .          .131 

The  Hall  and  Stairway,  and  the  Living  Room          .          .      134 

THE  STUDIO  OPPOSITE  THE  CHARLES  M.   LOEFFLER  HOUSE    .      135 

THE  CHARLES  M.   LOEFFLER  HOUSE  BEFORE  REMODELING       .      138 
As  Remodeled  .          .          .          .         .          .          .139 

Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room  .          .          .          .142 

The  Dining  Room,  and  the  Music  Room  in  the  Studio 

Building  .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .143 

LITTLE  ORCHARD.     THE  HOUSE  FROM  THE  DRIVEWAY  .          .148 

The  Angle  of  the  Ell 149 

The  Stairway  .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .152 

The  Entrance  Porch,  and  the  Dining  Room  .          .  1 5  3 

WlLLOWDALE,    BEFORE    REMODELING,    AND    THE    FRONT    VlEW      .        158 

The  House  from  the  Garden  .  .  .  .  .159 
A  Rear  View,  and  the  Living  Room  .  .  .  .162 
Two  of  the  Chambers  .  .  .  .  .  .163 

THE  GEORGE   E.  BARNARD  HOUSE   BEFORE   REMODELING,  AND 

THE  FRONT  OF  THE  HOUSE  .          .          .          .166 

The  House  from  the  Terrace       .          .          .          .          .167 

The  Pergola- Porch 172 

The  Hall,  and  the  Alcove  in  the  Living  Room  .  .  173 
The  Den,  and  the  Dining  Room  .  .  .  .176 

THE  W.   P.   ADDEN  HOUSE 177 

The  Stairway 186 

xiii 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING   PAGE 

QUILLCOTE,  MRS.  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN'S  SUMMER  HOME  .      187 

The  Hall 192 

Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room  .          .          .          .          .193 
The  Den,  and  the  Dining  Room  .          .          .          .196 

Two  of  the  Chambers        .          .          .          .          .          .197 

THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE,  FRONT  VIEW         .  ,  .      202 

Before  Remodeling,  and  as  Remodeled  .          .  .  .203 

The  Pergola-Porch    .....  .      206 

A  First-floor  Vista,  and  the  Living  Room        .  .  .      207 

LONE  TREE  FARM  .          .          .          .          .          .          .  .212 

As  Finally  Remodeled,  and  the  Sun- Parlor      .          .  .213 

The  Living  Room,  and  a  Corner  in  the  Dining  Room  .      218 

The  Sewing  Room,  and  the  Den  .          .          .  .219 

THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE  BEFORE  REMODELING    .     224 
As  Remodeled  .......      225 

The  Living  Room     .......      228 

Two  Views  of  the  Dining  Room  .          .          .          .229 

THE  HENRY  W.  WRIGHT  HOUSE  .....  236 
The  Living  Room,  and  the  Dining  Room  .  .  .237 
Two  Noteworthy  Chambers  .....  242 

THE  HOWLAND  S.   CHANDLER  HOUSE  ....     243 

End  View 248 

The  Hall         ........     249 

The  Sun-Parlor,  and  the  Living  Room  .          .          .          .252 

The  Den,  and  the  Kitchen  .          .          .          .          .253 


XIV 


REMODELED    FARMHOUSES 
CHAPTER  I 

IRISTHORPE 

As  you  drove  slowly  along  the  country  road, 
did  you  ever  stop  to  consider  the  many  possi- 
bilities for  development  that  lie  hidden  in  the  old 
Colonial  farmhouses  found  here  and  there  ?  Some 
are  situated  quite  a  distance  from  the  main  road, 
while  others  are  placed  practically  on  its  boundary 
line.  Many  of  the  types  are  disguised  by  the 
unattractive  additions  that  have  been  built  to 
accommodate  the  growing  needs  of  their  occupants. 
Others,  with  sagging  roofs  and  weather-beaten 
exteriors,  stand  mute  witnesses  of  the  days  when 
our  country  was  making  history  for  itself.  Some 
of  these  unattractive  old  dwellings  in  their  early 
days  sheltered  the  most  ardent  patriots  of  our  land, 
men  whose  gallant  deeds  have  made  them  famous, 
and  who  now  lie  forgotten. 

Fortunately  for  us,  these  old  houses  were  not 
all  built  in  the  same  century,  but  present  a  variety 

[i] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

of  types  which  makes  them  all  the  more  inter- 
esting both  to  architect  and  house  owner.  The 
age  of  the  house  is  clearly  denned  in  its  design. 
Many  of  the  earliest  examples  were  framed  in 
white  pine,  a  wood  whose  lasting  qualities  have 
been  plainly  shown  through  their  power  to 
withstand  the  ravages  of  time.  Others  were  con- 
structed of  stone  or  brick  and  are  equally  inter- 
esting in  character.  From  an  architectural  stand- 
point, most  of  these  houses,  no  matter  how 
dilapidated  their  condition,  show  good  lines.  To  be 
sure,  these  are  often  hidden  under  poor  surround- 
ings, for  as  the  families  grew  larger  and  additions 
became  necessary,  the  new  parts  were  often  badly 
placed.  This  makes  it  hard  for  an  inexperienced 
eye  to  detect  where  the  old  house  leaves  off  and 
the  additions  begin.  It  must  be  remembered  that 
the  early  tillers  of  the  soil  took  little  interest  in 
their  homes  save  as'  shelters  for  themselves  and 
families,  and  chose  for  their  buildings  material 
that  lay  nearest  at  hand.  All  their  ready  money 
was  expended  in  the  building  of  large  and  spacious 
barns  to  house  their  cattle. 

There  is  a  wealth  of  possibilities  in  the  recon- 
struction of  old  farmhouses  that  are  easily  recog- 
nized by  the  experienced  eye  of  the  architect. 

[2] 


IRISTHORPE 

The  study  of  lines  which  determine  the  size  and 
design  of  the  old  building  is  most  interesting  and 
teaches  a  lesson  in  old-time  architecture  which  is 
extremely  fascinating.  The  adaptation  of  the 
house  to  new  and  different  purposes,  the  creation 
of  a  picturesque  result  wholly  unlike  and  yet 
following  the  lines  of  the  original  building,  calls 
into  play  not  only  skilful  designing  but  careful 
planning. 

Many  of  these  old  houses  contain  fine  wood- 
work which  is  often  hidden  under  layer  upon 
layer  of  hideous  wall-paper  bought  with  an  eye 
to  price  rather  than  good  taste.  The  fireplaces 
are  sometimes  bricked  up  and  plastered  over  to  per- 
mit the  use  of  a  modern  "air-tight"  ;  the  wainscot 
and  molding  are  buried  under  coats  of  unattractive 
paint  and  give  little  impression  of  their  value 
until  the  original  walls  and  woodwork  lie  bare. 
Some  houses,  more  especially  those  situated  near 
the  coast  and  erected  during  the  period  of  com- 
mercial prosperity,  were  built  by  ship  carpenters 
and  wood-carvers  during  dull  seasons.  In  these, 
one  comes  occasionally  upon  a  wonderful  old 
fireplace  or  perchance  a  porch  that  shows  artistic 
carving.  Many  of  these  old  dwellings  naturally 
show  original  treatment,  and  it  is  to  these  that 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

the  architects  of  to-day  turn  for  details  to  be 
introduced  into  the  modified  Colonial  house. 
They  were  built  by  men  who  were  forced  to  use 
their  brains,  since  they  were  unable  to  turn  to 
books  for  ideas. 

As  originally  built,  many  of  them  stood  with 
their  backs  to  the  road,  their  long,  sloping  roofs 
sweeping  to  the  ground,  their  front  doors  opening 
on  to  extensive  farm  lands.  Before  the  door 
usually  stood  the  father  and  mother  elm,  their 
graceful  branches  seeming  to  hover  protectingly 
over  the  dwellings.  Many  of  the  trees  were  there 
when  the  houses  were  built,  while  others  have 
replaced  their  worthy  sires  and  contribute  a  bit 
of  landscape  picturing  that  adds  much  to  the 
attractiveness  of  the  home. 

In  these  old  houses,  more  especially  those  that 
are  past  complete  restoration,  the  architect  of  to- 
day frequently  finds  choice  old  woodwork.  Some- 
times it  is  a  rare  bit  of  pumpkin  pine  such  as  is 
seldom  seen ;  again  it  is  a  fine  old  wainscot,  or  a 
wonderful  staircase  that  has  been  saved  from  the 
ravages  of  time.  Often  some  of  these  details  are 
introduced  into  another  remodeled  farmhouse  to 
replace  parts  too  far  gone  to  be  used.  The  grow- 
ing vogue  of  the  country  home  has  led  to  the 

[4] 


£ 

w 

> 

H 

o 

•2 


The  Entrance  Porch 
IRISTHORPE 


IRISTHORPE 

restoration  of  many  of  these  old-time  farmhouses 
and  has  saved  many  a  valuable  structure  from 
falling  into  decay.  Fortunately  the  appreciation 
of  their  possibilities  came  before  it  was  too  late 
to  save  them  from  destruction,  although  many 
that  could  have  done  service  were  allowed  to  go 
to  ruin.  There  are,  however,  many  fine  examples 
still  standing,  and  some  of  these  have  been  altered 
to  suit  modern  uses.  Little  wonder  the  old  farm- 
house has  come  into  its  own,  its  attractiveness 
after  remodeling  making  it  available  for  sum- 
mer or  all-the-y ear-round  uses.  To-day  there  is 
scarcely  a  farm  or  country  resort  that  does  not 
show  one  or  more  of  these  old-time  buildings  in 
their  new  dress.  Some  have  interesting  history 
connected  with  them  and  are  associated  with 
legends  that  have  been  handed  down  from  genera- 
tion to  generation.  Often  the  house  has  been 
photographed  to  show  both  its  former  appearance 
and  the  results  of  the  restoration.  Some  owners, 
however,  have  given  little  thought  to  the  original 
structure,  and  it  is  left  to  the  imagination  to  pic- 
ture the  house  as  it  used  to  be. 

It  was  six  years  ago,  while  hunting  for  a  place 
to  locate  a  summer  home,  that  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Homer  Gage  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  dis- 

[51 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

covered  at  Shrewsbury  a  simple  little  farmhouse, 
showing  no  claim  to  architectural  beauty.  It  was 
such  an  unattractive,  plain,  little  building,  that 
only  the  experienced  eye  could  discover  its  fine 
lines.  This  house  stood  close  by  the  dusty  high- 
way; the  fence  which  formed  the  boundary  line 
had  fallen  into  decay,  while  the  farm  lands,  run 
down  through  hard  usage,  showed  no  trace  even 
of  an  old-fashioned  garden,  such  as  many  of  the 
housewives  of  the  earlier  day  so  loved  to  tend. 
The  house  was  built  before  the  Revolutionary 
War,  being  erected  in  1760,  and  was  considered 
in  those  days  to  be  a  good  example  of  what  a  farm- 
house stood  for.  Surely  it  was  an  excellent  type, 
considering  the  usual  lines  in  the  New  England 
farmhouses  of  that  day,  —  this  small,  unpreten- 
tious dwelling,  whose  entrance  door  out  of  plumb 
and  windows  irregularly  placed  made  a  curious 
combination  that  was  in  reality  fascinating  and 
appealing. 

It  was  two  stones  in  height,  with  an  attic  under 
the  eaves,  —  a  hot  little  place  during  the  summer 
months  and  cold  in  winter,  but  good  for  storage 
of  furniture  and  unnecessary  household  belong- 
ings. The  roof  had  a  pitch  at  the  back  and  sloped 
to  meet  the  kitchen,  which  was  only  one  story  in 

[6] 


IRISTHORPE 

height.  Two  sturdy,  six-foot  chimneys  had  been 
built  on  one  side  of  the  house,  as  stoves  were 
unknown  in  those  days.  The  frame  was  of  white 
pine,  well  seasoned,  and  the  timber  hand-hewn, 
with  the  mark  of  the  adze  plainly  showing  in  the 
beams,  for  it  was  built  when  honest  labor  prevailed 
and  was  as  stanch  as  in  the  days  when  the  bush 
stuck  in  the  chimney  or  ridge-pole  showed  that 
the  carpenters'  work  was  done.  The  farm  build- 
ings were  connected  with  the  main  house  and  com- 
prised a  barn,  hen-house,  corn-crib,  and  byre,  all 
huddled  together  in  the  most  compact  kind  of 
way.  It  had  not  been  occupied  since  Doctor 
Brown,  the  original  owner,  paid  his  last  visit  and 
left  the  house  to  its  fate.  The  interior  was  not 
as  dilapidated  as  in  most  old  houses,  being  in 
tolerably  good  repair.  And  so,  with  little  altera- 
tion, it  was  used  as  a  dwelling  house,  while  the 
new  home  which  was  being  built  near  the  center 
of  the  estate  was  erected. 

After  the  cellar  was  built  and  the  foundation 
partly  laid,  the  work  on  the  new  house  was  stopped. 
There  was  something  about  the  old  clapboarded 
farmhouse  that  appealed  so  strongly  to  the  new 
occupants  that  they  fell  under  its  charm  and  de- 
cided not  to  supplant  it  by  a  modern  home.  But 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

the  house  stood  too  near  the  road ;  there  was  no 
privacy  and  no  freedom  from  dust.  It  was  of 
such  solid  construction,  however,  that  its  moving 
could  be  easily  accomplished.  So,  slowly  but 
surely,  it  slid  down  the  hill  and  finally  rested  on 
the  foundations  which  had  been  designed  for  the 
summer  house. 

Under  the  direction  of  Mr.  George  Hunt  Ingra- 
ham,  the  remodeling  was  begun.  The  old  lines 
of  the  roof  were  left  unaltered,  and  although  more 
room  was  needed,  dormers  were  left  out  in  its 
reconstruction.  Nothing,  the  new  owners  felt, 
could  so  destroy  the  lines  of  the  house  as  to  break 
them  with  intrusions  such  as  this.  The  long, 
unbroken  skyline  is  one  of  its  greatest  charms,  and 
even  the  long  slope  at  one  side,  reaching  down  and 
over  the  one-story  kitchen  ell,  has  been  carefully 
retained  and  adds  not  a  little  to  the  harmonious 
effect  of  the  whole  structure.  At  the  front  was 
added  a  small  porch  showing  Colonial  treatment,  in 
the  center  of  which  hang  graceful  vases  filled  with 
iris.  The  same  latticed  effect  was  carried  out 
across  the  front  of  the  house  in  the  space  between 
the  windows  of  the  first  and  second  stories.  On 
either  side  of  the  main  dwelling,  outdoor  living- 
rooms  were  secured  by  the  introduction  of  screened 

[8] 


o 

U 

-=. 


S      £ 
O 


The  Entrance   Porch.      Another  View 
IRISTHORPE 


IRISTHORPE 

piazzas,  the  roofs  of  which  were  painted  with 
water-proof  paint.  One  of  these  living-rooms  opens 
on  to  a  water-garden  with  its  arches  of  roses  at 
one  side  of  the  house.  It  is  fitted  up  with  willow 
furniture,  in  the  coverings  of  which  is  introduced 
the  prevailing  flower,  the  iris,  which  is  also  shown 
in  the  table  cover  and  the  shape  of  the  vase  filled 
with  the  same  flowers.  The  opposite  porch  is 
also  fitted  up  as  a  living-room  and  overlooks 
the  home  garden.  The  exterior  of  the  house  is 
painted  white  with  conventional  green  blinds, 
the  chimneys  following  the  same  treatment,  while 
the  windows  remain  unchanged.  The  massive 
stone  fireplaces  were  not  taken  out,  although 
the  old  kitchen  chimney  had  to  be  altered  slightly 
in  order  to  meet  present  needs.  The  house  to-day 
overlooks  extensive  grounds  and  is  embowered 
in  a  wealth  of  rambler  roses  and  iris.  It  resembles 
the  old  house  in  its  lines  but  shows  in  its  remodeled 
form  a  most  wonderful  effect  and  reveals  what 
beautiful  results  can  be  obtained  by  correct 
restoration. 

The  house  is  named  "Iristhorpe,"  the  name 
being  chosen  by  the  mistress  of  the  house,  who 
since  her  childhood  has  taken  great  interest  in 
the  iris  because  of  a  fairy  tale  told  her  by  her 

[9] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

grandmother,  in  which  the  flower  was  supposed  to 
be  the  home  of  the  fairies. 

With  modern  methods  of  living,  it  would  have 
been  an  impossibility  to  retain  the  old  house  in 
its  entirety.  More  room  was  needed,  and  a 
service  department  was  an  absolute  necessity, 
but  in  its  enlargement  such  careful  attention  was 
paid  to  carrying  out  the  lines  of  the  original  type 
that  to-day  it  is  almost  an  impossibility  to  find 
where  the  old  house  leaves  off,  and  the  new  one 
commences.  In  the  old  structure,  as  it  stood 
facing  the  main  road,  there  were  three  rooms  in  a 
row  on  the  first  floor,  with  the  kitchen  ell  attached 
at  the  rear,  and  the  upper  part  of  the  house  cut 
up  into  small  rooms.  In  remodeling,  these  rooms 
were  changed  over  into  morning-room,  living- 
room,  and  library,  and  occupy  the  entire  front  of 
the  house,  just  as  they  did  in  the  original  building. 
They  are  connected  with  doors  so  carefully  placed 
in  line  that  they  give  one  the  impression  of  greater 
space  than  is  really  found  at  Iristhorpe.  At  the 
rear,  the  old  kitchen  was  converted  into  a  most 
attractive  hallway  and  stairway,  with  closets 
and  lavatory  located  at  the  farther  side. 

The  dining-room,  which  is  at  the  rear  of  the 
living-room,  has  been  added  and  conforms  in 

[10] 


IRISTHORPE 

every  respect  to  the  original  design  of  the  old 
house.  Back  of  this  are  the  service  rooms,  which 
are  admirably  planned  and  equipped  with  butler's 
pantry,  servants'  dining-room,  kitchen  pantry,  rear 
hall,  and  stairway,  together  with  a  kitchen.  In 
the  remodeling,  the  second  story  was  divided  into 
four  servants'  bedrooms,  a  bathroom,  and  a  large 
sewing-room  at  the  rear.  An  interesting  feature 
is  that  this  department  has  no  connection  on  the 
second  floor  with  any  other  room  in  the  house. 

The  porch  door  opens  directly  into  the  living- 
room,  which  has  never  been  changed  from  its 
original  place  in  the  old  house.  Its  central 
feature  is  the  old  fireplace,  which  has  been 
opened  at  the  opposite  side  into  the  new 
dining-room.  This  was  originally  the  old  kitchen 
chimney  and  contained  the  brick  oven.  It  has 
been  bricked  in  for  modern  use,  and  here,  as 
throughout  the  house,  the  iris  motive  prevails. 
It  is  shown  in  the  graceful  andirons,  in  the 
coverings  of  the  Sheraton  wing  chair,  in  the  sofa 
pillows,  and  even  in  the  lamp-shade.  This  room 
contains  fine  woodwork,  which  is,  in  fact,  a  notice- 
able feature  of  every  part  of  the  house,  and  the 
Colonial  idea  has  been  carefully  carried  out  in 
all  the  furniture  used. 

[n] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

The  library  opens  out  from  the  living-room  at 
the  right,  and  from  that  one  passes  to  the  outdoor 
living-room.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  living- 
room  is  the  den  or  morning-room,  with  glass  doors 
which  open  on  to  the  porch.  Here  again  the  iris 
is  always  the  motive  of  decoration.  In  this  room 
particularly  the  old  paneling  has  been  retained, 
as  have  the  old  strap  hinges  and  latches,  which, 
when  missing,  have  been  replaced  by  others  of 
like  design.  This  room  was  originally  the  doc- 
tor's office,  and  in  the  cupboard  was  found,  at  the 
purchase  of  the  house,  some  of  his  old  stock. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  rooms  is  the  dining- 
room,  which  contains  an  old  brick  oven  and 
paneling  so  exactly  corresponding  to  the  character 
of  the  original  that  at  first  glance  it  is  impossible  to 
differentiate  between  them,  either  in  age  or  work- 
manship. The  window  sashes,  with  their  small, 
well-shaped  panes,  give  to  the  room  an  appropriate 
scale,  and  the  old  iron  and  brass  hinges  and  latches 
lend  an  effective  tone.  The  iris,  charming  in 
nature  and  no  less  decorative  in  its  convention- 
alized form,  appears  here  and  there  in  the  carved 
woodwork  and  always  gives  a  delicate  twist  to 
the  Colonial  design  it  embellishes.  The  beamed 
ceiling  carries  out  the  old-time  idea,  while  won- 

[12] 


The   Dining  Room 


The   Living  Room 
IRISTHORPE 


The   Morning   Room 


The  Out-door  Living  Room 
IRISTHORPE 


IRISTHORPE 

derful  Japanese  panels  have  been  inserted  in  the 
finish  over  the  fireplace,  and  huge  iron  andirons 
show  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  fleur-de-lis. 
This  flower  is  found  also  in  the  cushions  of  the 
Chippendale  chairs,  the  decoration  of  the  table, 
the  china,  and  in  a  beautiful  Japanese  screen  of 
most  graceful  design  that  hides  the  service  entrance 
into  this  room. 

The  white  woodwork  is  a  noticeable  feature  of 
the  interior,  where  harmony  has  been  so  carefully 
maintained  that  on  entering  one  feels  as  if  he  were 
in  a  really  old  house,  rather  than  one  restored. 
It  should  be  noted  that  in  the  architectural  treat- 
ment, especial  consideration  has  been  given  to 
lighting  and  air;  the  windows  have  been  distrib- 
uted so  that  the  light  is  concentrated,  giving  the 
rooms  an  effect  of  cheerfulness  that  could  not  be 
obtained  otherwise.  Even  the  hanging  of  the 
curtains,  which  are  of  the  Colonial  type,  adds  to 
the  charm  of  the  house. 

The  bedrooms,  on  the  second  floor,  of  which 
there  are  four,  show  the  same  low  stud  that  is 
characteristic  of  the  lower  floor.  They  are  small 
but  most  conveniently  fitted  up,  even  to  the  con- 
version of  a  small  closet,  which  the  architect  had 
considered  impractical  for  use,  into  an  extra 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

bathroom.  Every  bit  of  available  space  has  been 
made  usable. 

An  unusual  feature  is  the  guest  house,  which 
has  been  created  in  the  second  story  of  the  large 
stable  which  stands  at  one  side  of  the  estate. 
This  is  especially  useful  for  week-end  parties. 
The  loft  has  been  converted  into  a  suite  of  bed- 
rooms, pool-rooms,  and  a  screened  veranda  that 
can  be  used  for  sleeping  accommodations. 

Iristhorpe  might  be  called  a  conventional  farm- 
house, one  of  the  type  met  with  on  almost  every 
country  road.  It  has  no  exterior  adornment 
of  any  kind,  but  is  a  fine  example  of  how  a  pic- 
turesque building  can  be  evolved  from  an  unat- 
tractive one,  and  is  probably  one  of  the  best 
examples  of  remodeling  that  can  be  found.  The 
house  is  typical  of  the  best  American  architecture, 
and  credit  should  be  giveristhe  pioneer  who  first 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  old  farmhouse.  As 
Iristhorpe  now  stands,  its  graceful  lines  cannot 
be  improved  upon,  and  clever  as  the  alterations 
undoubtedly  are,  the  great  fascination  that  grips 
us  as  we  view  the  house  arises  from  the  fact  that 
it  is  a  part  of  the  early  architecture,  when  hewn 
beams  were  first  primed  together,  and  when  dwell- 
ings were  erected  that  would  endure  for  centuries. 


CHAPTER    II 

LIMOVADY 

FIRST  the  electric  car  and  now  the  automobile 
have  solved  the  problem  of  accessibility  which 
until  recently  confronted  those  who  would  have 
returned  to  the  old  homestead  even  sooner,  had 
it  been  nearer  the  town.  But  to-day  the  house 
must  be  far  away  indeed  if  it  cannot  be  easily 
reached  from  the  more  active  centers,  and  prob- 
ably this  fact  more  than  any  other  has  opened  up 
for  the  enjoyment  of  the  younger  generations  the 
natural  charm  of  the  countryside  endeared  to  our 
forefathers.  In  the  roomy,  old-fashioned  farm- 
houses of  New  England,  surrounded  by  stately 
trees  and  overlooking  acres  upon  acres  of  rolling 
pasture  and  meadow  land,  unlimited  opportuni- 
ties are  oifered  for  the  development  of  the  country 
home. 

In  remodeling  these  houses  of  the  early  builders, 
any  radical  departure  from  the  original  scheme  is 
seldom  necessary.  Rather  should  the  lines  and 
motives  be  sacredly  preserved  to  accentuate  their 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

old-time  charm,  and  modern  improvements  intro- 
duced unobtrusively  and  with  such  care  that  the 
final  result  is  indeed  a  restoration  and  not  an 
alteration.  The  mellowing  passage  of  time  has 
dealt  gently  with  many  of  our  old  homes,  and  his- 
tory and  romance  have  woven  about  them  an 
added  fascination  for  every  generation  to  enjoy. 
When  the  work  of  restoration  is  commenced,  the 
problem  of  retaining  this  charm  is  often  a  difficult 
one.  In  some  instances  it  would  seem  as  if  noth- 
ing short  of  pure  inspiration  had  guided  the  hands 
of  the  remodelers  of  many  of  the  quaint  and  irregu- 
lar old  houses  that  stand  by  the  side  of  the  road. 
The  old  house  is  nearly  always  in  harmony  with 
its  surroundings ;  if  it  did  not  seem  a  part  of  the 
landscape  when  it  was  built,  it  has  at  least  had 
time  to  grow  into  it  through  the  years,  and  the 
problem  of  all  remodeling  is  to  preserve  in  the 
completed  structure  the  atmosphere  that  will 
make  it  appear  to  have  always  belonged  where  it 
stands.  While  the  first  thought  of  our  forefathers 
was  to  provide  an  adequate  home,  they  undoubt- 
edly possessed  a  peculiar  instinct  in  the  choice  of 
a  picturesque  location.  By  selecting  the  site  best 
adapted  to  their  needs,  the  house  seemed  literally 
to  grow  out  of  the  land,  and  herein  lies  the  secret 

[16] 


LIMOVADY 

of  more  than  half  the  allurement  of  the  old-fash- 
ioned structures.  The  intimacy  between  house 
and  grounds  seems  as  strong  as  were  the  family 
ties  of  those  hardy  pioneers  who  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  American  civilization. 

More  practical  considerations  in  regard  to  the 
environment  than  picturesqueness  confront  the 
house  owner,  however,  and  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant is  that  of  water  supply  and  drainage.  These 
must  necessarily  be  kept  far  apart.  A  gentle 
incline  is  the  best  location  for  a  dwelling,  so  that 
the  one  may  come  to  the  house  from  higher  ground 
above,  and  the  other  be  carried  off  below.  A 
hollow  is  bad,  because  the  water  will  not  readily 
flow  away  from  it ;  it  is  always  damp  and  hot,  as 
it  is  shut  in  from  the  breezes.  On  too  steep  a  hill- 
side, heavy  rains  will  work  havoc  with  lawns, 
walks,  and  flower  beds. 

The  slope  of  the  land  should  be  considered  in 
reference  to  the  prevailing  winds.  The  house 
should  be  placed  so  that  the  cool  breezes  of  summer 
blow  upon  the  living-room  side  and  not  upon  the 
kitchen,  or  all  the  heat  and  odors  from  cooking 
will  fill  the  rooms,  and  they  will  always  be  hot  and 
stuffy.  The  attractiveness  of  the  immediate  out- 
look should  be  noted,  and  it  is  well  to  ascertain  if 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

there  are  any  objectionable  features  which  cannot 
be  removed  or  which  are  likely  to  arise  within 
immediate  prospect.  The  character  and  prox- 
imity of  the  neighbors  will  play  a  large  part  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  summer  home.  If  the  house  is 
not  set  well  back  on  the  property,  it  should  at  least 
be  screened  with  full-grown  trees  and  shrubbery 
to  obtain  the  seclusion  desired.  Old  trees  add 
greatly  not  only  to  the  attractiveness  of  a  place 
but  to  its  actual  value  and  comfort,  for  it  takes  a 
long  time  to  grow  new  trees  that  will  provide 
adequate  shade  from  the  heat  of  summer  suns. 

There  is  an  illustration  of  a  thus  happily  sit- 
uated farmhouse  at  Georgetown,  about  thirty 
miles  from  Boston,  known  as  the  Jewett  house, 
which  was  built  in  1711.  It  is  typical  of  an  old 
Dutch  lean-to  and  has  a  great  central  chimney 
twelve  feet  square,  with  four  flues.  Snuggled 
down  in  the  midst  of  rolling  grass  land,  it  made 
an  attractive  picture  in  its  surroundings  of  old 
elms.  It  stood  far  back  from  the  road  and  was 
approached  by  a  long  lane  that  wound  among 
splendid  trees  to  the  front  of  the  house.  Like 
many  dwellings  of  this  period,  its  back  was  toward 
the  main  road,  and  the  front  door  opened  upon 
a  wide  expanse  of  shady  meadows  which  in  the 

[18] 


LIMOVADY 

summer  were  bright  with  many-colored  wild 
flowers.  Between  the  house  and  the  road  there 
was  a  wide  stretch  of  green  grass  which  has  been 
transformed  into  an  old-fashioned  flower  garden, 
planted  about  a  small,  cement-lined  pool  and  water 
garden. 

This  house  was  discovered  several  years  ago  by 
a  young  Southerner  who  had  come  north  from  her 
sunny  home  in  Kentucky  to  find  a  summer  abode 
for  her  brother  and  herself.  The  house  as  it  stood 
was  in  a  very  dilapidated  condition,  and  only  an 
artist  would  have  realized  its  possibilities.  But 
about  it  was  a  warmth  of  atmosphere  that  ap- 
pealed to  the  enthusiastic  Southerner.  Not  the 
least  of  its  attractions  were  the  elms  that  cast 
their  protecting  shadows  not  only  over  the  long 
avenue  which  led  to  the  house  but  over  the  dwell- 
ing itself;  many  of  them  were  patriarchs  of  the 
primeval  forests  when  their  younger  companions 
were  yet  in  seed;  others  were  set  out  later,  to 
add  their  charm  to  the  forsaken  home. 

It  was  purchased  in  1906,  and  the  work  of 
restoration  was  immediately  commenced.  The 
outside  was  weather-beaten  and  guiltless  of  paint. 
The  roof  sagged,  and  the  great  stone  chimney 
needed  repair.  It  was  propped  up  and  made 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

thoroughly  safe,  and  the  old  roof  was  entirely 
rebuilt,  but  the  original  lines  were  closely  fol- 
lowed. Viewing  the  house  as  it  stands  to-day, 
one  realizes  what  attractive  apartments  can  be 
evolved  from  ugly  interiors,  and  what  interesting 
results  ingenuity  and  good  judgment  can  bring 
about. 

The  interior  showed  coat  after  coat  of  vivid 
tint  and  layer  after  layer  of  atrociously  colored 
wall-paper.  The  rooms,  originally  large  and 
square,  had  been  divided  and  partitioned  off  to 
meet  the  needs  of  growing  families ;  many  of 
them  were  small  and  hopelessly  unattractive. 
But  there  were  latent  possibilities. 
'  When  the  house  was  first  purchased,  the  owner 
went  over  the  inside  herself  to  discover  the  origi- 
nal lines.  As  in  many  houses  of  the  kind,  it  was 
easy  to  restore  the  size  of  the  room  by  following 
beams  and  knocking  out  partitions.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  the  usual  plan  in  houses  of 
that  period  was  to  construct  a  large,  square  room 
in  the  center  with  small  rooms  opening  off  from 
it  which  were  used  as  chambers. 

The  work  of  decorating,  and,  as  far  as  possible, 
the  remodeling  itself,  was  done  by  Mrs.  William 
Otis  Kimball  and  her  brother.  Along  the  front  of 

[20] 


LIMOVADY 

the  house  a  screened,  outdoor  living-room  has  been 
added.  The  original  building  consisted  of  four 
rooms  on  the  first  floor.  The  front  door  opened 
into  a  small  hall,  to  the  right  of  which  was  the 
great  living-room,  and  to  the  left  the  dining- 
room.  Back  of  the  former  was  a  guest  room, 
and  back  of  the  latter  the  old  kitchen. 

In  the  living-room,  the  flooring,  which  was 
composed  of  boards  often  two  feet  wide,  was  in 
such  good  condition  that  it  was  left  intact,  treated 
to  a  black  walnut  stain,  and  shellacked.  The 
height  of  the  ceiling  was  but  seven  feet;  so  the 
heavy  beams  of  swamp  oak  were  boxed  in  and 
painted  white,  and  the  space  between  white- 
washed. The  walls,  which  were  covered  with 
ten  tiers  of  paper,  each  one  uglier  than  the  last, 
were  cleared  to  the  boarding.  The  last  one  was 
found  to  be  a  wonderfully  fine  landscape  paper, 
which  showed  that  an  early  owner  of  the  house 
must  have  been  a  person  of  means,  who  probably 
had  it  brought  over  in  one  of  the  merchant-ships 
during  the  time  of  commercial  prosperity,  when 
Newburyport  had  a  lively  trade  with  foreign 
lands.  The  walls  were  treated  with  a  water 
paint  colored  a  creamy  pumpkin  tint  that  makes 
the  room  seem  always  well  lighted.  It  is  a  most 

[21] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

inexpensive  finish,  such  as  is  used  by  scene  painters 
in  a  theater,  and  can  be  put  on  with  an  ordinary 
whitewash  brush.  The  wainscot  was  stained  dark 
brown  to  harmonize  with  the  floors.  Around  the 
top  of  the  room  the  owner  painted  a  frieze  of 
conventionalized  pomegranates,  which  follow  the 
color  scheme  of  the  woodwork  and  wall.  The  old 
fireplace,  which  had  been  closed  up,  was  opened, 
and  the  over-mantel  enriched  with  a  splendidly 
decorative  painting  by  the  artist  herself,  repre- 
senting a  Normandy  boar  hunt  about  1330. 

After  it  was  remodeled,  the  room  measured 
twenty-four  by  twenty-six  feet,  the  original  size 
when  the  house  was  first  built.  It  is  now  used  as 
a  living-room  and  library.  Inexpensive  shelves, 
made  of  boards  stained  to  match  the  wainscot, 
are  fastened  along  the  walls.  In  places  there  is 
a  single  shelf;  sometimes  two  are  placed  about 
twelve  inches  apart,  and  they  are  used  for  books, 
pictures,  and  ornaments.  The  windows  are  cur- 
tained with  an  appropriate  simplicity  that  is 
unusually  attractive.  Unbleached  cotton  is  used 
for  the  over-curtains  and  decorated  with  a  border 
of  richly  colored  cretonne,  corresponding  in  color 
and  conventionality  of  design  to  the  painted 
frieze  on  the  walls. 

[22] 


Two  Views  of  the   Living  Room 
LIMOVADY 


The  Dining  Room 


The  Lounge 
LIMOVADY 


L1MOVADY 

The  hallway  is  five  feet  in  width  and  has  been 
kept  in  the  original  boards.  They  are  stained 
in  tones  of  soft  brown  which  harmonize  splendidly 
with  the  varying  color  schemes  of  the  rooms  that 
open  on  either  side.  Opposite  the  entrance  door 
is  a  narrow,  winding  staircase  whose  white  steps 
and  balustrade  contrast  sharply  with  the  dark 
woodwork  and  hand-rail.  Half  way  up  is  the  old 
nightcap  closet  from  which,  in  the  early  days, 
our  forefathers  took  their  nightly  toddy.  Under- 
neath the  stairs  is  a  secret  closet  so  carefully  hid- 
den in  the  panels  that  only  those  familiar  with  it 
can  find  it.  This  was  known  in  Colonial  days  as 
the  "priest  hole,"  and  it  was  here,  so  the  legend 
runs,  that  French  refugees  were  secreted  during 
the  French  and  Indian  wars. 

The  dining-room  opens  off  the  hallway  at  the 
left.  It  is  a  long,  narrow  room  with  a  fireplace 
at  one  side  of  the  end  nearest  the  hall.  The 
woodwork  has  been  finished  in  a  dark  stain,  and 
the  old  corner  cupboard  has  been  kept  intact. 
The  fireplace  wall  is  paneled  in  swamp  pine,  and 
over  the  mantel  there  is  a  secret  panel  cupboard. 
The  lower  part  of  the  walls  is  covered  with  dark 
green  burlap,  and  above  is  a  decorative  paper  in 
boldly  striking  colors.  There  is  a  long,  refectory 

[23] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

dining-table  in  this  room,  made  of  stout  oak 
boards,  and  the  other  furniture  has  a  monastic 
simplicity  which  is  entirely  in  keeping  with  the 
character  of  the  room. 

The  small  room  at  the  rear  of  the  living-room 
is  used  as  a  guest  chamber  and  is  known  as  the 
missionary  room.  Here  the  walls  are  tinted  a 
soft  moss  green,  and  ornamented  at  the  top  by  a 
black  and  white  frieze  that  pictures  the  different 
stages  of  a  missionary's  life.  He  is  shown  from  the 
time  of  his  arrival  on  the  lonely  island  to  his  chase 
and  capture  by  a  band  of  cannibals,  and  finally 
being  roasted  amidst  scenes  of  hilarity  as  they 
turn  his  fat  form  on  the  spit. 

The  studio  was  originally  the  kitchen  and  opens 
out  of  this  room.  The  woodwork  is  of  the  same 
dark  brown  tint  used  through  all  the  lower  story, 
and  the  walls  are  hung  with  natural  colored  bur- 
lap. The  principal  features  of  the  room  are  its 
fireplace  and  quaint  Dutch  oven  which  were 
built  into  the  center  of  the  twelve-foot  chimney 
when  the  house  was  erected.  From  the  pothook 
on  the  crane  hangs  an  old  Colonial  kettle.  Of 
almost  equal  interest  are  the  small-paned  windows 
which  are  closed  by  sliding  inside  panels. 

The  present  kitchen  has  been  added  at  the  rear. 

[24] 


LIMOVADY 

It  has  white  walls  decorated  with  a  frieze  in  which 
lobsters  disport  themselves  in  different  attitudes. 

A  small  closet  at  one  side  of  the  passage  that 
leads  into  the  kitchen  has  been  utilized  for  a  bath- 
room. It  is  finished  in  white  with  a  dado  of  tiles 
painted  with  turtles. 

When  the  house  was  first  purchased,  there  was 
an  old  barn  on  the  property  a  short  distance 
away.  This  was  moved  up  and  connected  with 
the  house.  It  opens  from  the  dining-room  and 
has  been  converted  into  a  lounge  room,  with 
servants'  quarters  at  the  rear.  This  room  is  one 
of  the  most  interesting  in  the  house.  It  is  fin- 
ished in  stained  pine,  and  the  old  rafters  and  wood- 
work have  been  left  as  they  originally  were.  The 
spaces  between  the  heavy  beams  of  the  ceiling 
are  white,  the  beams  being  black  with  a  narrow 
band  of  peacock  blue  above. 

The  originality  used  in  finishing  the  house  is  evi- 
denced nowhere  better  than  in  the  chambers,  on  the 
second  floor.  Each  one  has  been  decorated  with  a 
different  flower,  and  they  are  known  as  the  holly- 
hock, the  sweet  pea,  the  wistaria,  and  the  morning- 
glory  room.  A  frieze  of  the  particular  flower  has 
been  painted  around,  and  the  canopies  and  bed  cov- 
erings show  the  same  design  and  colors  in  cretonne. 

[25] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

A  small  room  in  the  barn  wing,  which  was  not 
large  enough  to  be  converted  into  a  chamber  as  it 
stood,  has  been  utilized  for  this  purpose  by  open- 
ing up  a  large,  connecting  closet  into  an  alcove 
to  hold  the  bed.  It  is  so  arranged  that  at  night 
the  bed  can  be  pulled  out  into  the  center  of  the 
room,  and  in  the  daytime  hidden  behind  curtains 
drawn  across  the  alcove. 

There  are  quaint  old  four-posters  in  all  of  the 
bedrooms,  and  old-fashioned  and  simple  fur- 
niture is  used  throughout  the  house.  Some  of  it 
is  home-made,  and  in  many  of  the  rooms  are 
bookcases  constructed  from  packing-boxes,  and 
hung  across  with  curtains  of  the  cretonne  used 
elsewhere  in  the  room. 

In  altering  many  old  houses  for  modern  occu- 
pancy, there  has  been  a  greater  expenditure  than 
would  have  been  required  to  build  an  entirely 
new  structure.  But  in  this  instance  the  charm 
of  the  old  home  has  been  retained  with  a  con- 
siderably smaller  outlay  than  would  have  been 
necessary  to  erect  another  of  equal  size  and 
facilities. 

There  is  an  undeniable  satisfaction  in  realizing 
that  all  has  been  gotten  out  of  a  venture  of  this 
kind  that  was  possible,  and  that  no  offense  has 

[26] 


Two  of  the  Chambers 
LIMOVADY 


D 
O 

ffi 

Q 
O 

O 


O 

Q 
i-] 

O 


LIMOVADY 

been  committed  against  the  spirit  of  the  old  house. 
Every  one  who  has  attempted  remodeling  obtains 
different  results  from  those  first  planned,  for  as 
the  work  proceeds,  new  possibilities  and  new  limi- 
tations constantly  appear,  till  the  completed  build- 
ing has  an  individuality  unrealized  in  the  be- 
ginning. 

In  Limovady,  as  this  little  country  place  is 
named,  we  find  a  good  example  of  what  can  be 
done  to  make  an  old  house  not  only  a  livable  but 
a  delightful  home,  and  it  is  a  success  such  as  this 
that  inspires  other  home  seekers  to  remodel, 
according  to  their  own  ideas.  For  no  two  people 
will  be  likely  to  conceive  the  reconstruction  of  a 
home  in  just  the  same  way,  and  it  is  this  stamp  of 
individuality  that  lends  to  the  remodeled  house  a 
large  part  of  its  charm. 


[27] 


CHAPTER  III 

THE    KITTREDGE    HOUSE 

HAVE  you  ever  noticed  the  fishermen's  little 
cottages  that  stand  along  the  seacoast  wherever 
modern  summer  resorts  have  not  displaced  them  ? 
From  a  modern  architectural  point  of  view,  they 
would  at  first  seem  quite  insignificant,  and  yet, 
hidden  away  beneath  the  rough  exteriors,  there 
are  often  interesting  lines  and  good  proportions. 
The  humble  fishermen  who  dwelt  there  cared  little 
for  external  appearance,  but  they  built  their  cot- 
tages strong  and  solid  and,  though  unpretentious, 
they  were  comfortable. 

These  little  old  houses,  seemingly  commonplace 
though  they  may  be,  hold  much  more  interest  for 
the  prospective  house  owner  and  the  architect 
than  do  the  more  elaborate  ones  of  later  periods. 
For  wherever  men  have  utilized  what  skill  and  in- 
telligence they  have  to  satisfy  definite  needs  in 
the  simplest,  most  straightforward  way,  they  have 
achieved  something  of  lasting  worth. 

The  ages  of  these  old  seacoast  houses  vary  just 

[28] 


THE  KITTREDGE  HOUSE 

as  do  those  farther  inland.  Some  were  built  long 
before  the  Revolution  and  others  at  a  much  more 
recent  date.  Some  have  fallen  into  hopeless  de- 
cay, while  others  are  still  stanch  and  habitable. 
The  possible  purchaser  should  make  a  careful 
examination  both  inside  and  out  before  he  decides 
to  remodel.  Sometimes,  from  a  superficial  sur- 
vey, an  old  house  may  appear  sturdy  enough  to 
warrant  renovation,  but  a  closer  investigation 
will  prove  that  this  would  be  an  expensive  busi- 
ness. For  the  old  timbers  often  hold  together 
firmly  because  they  have  all  settled  together  as 
a  unit;  if  any  one  is  disturbed,  the  rest  may  be 
greatly  weakened  or  even  threaten  to  fall  apart, 
like  the  proverbial  house  of  cards. 

The  first  indication  of  dangerous  weakness  is 
a  sagging  roof.  If  the  lines  are  even  a  little  con- 
cave, it  is  a  bad  sign,  for  the  roof  would  not  have 
settled  had  the  walls  held  absolutely  true.  Be- 
cause of  pressure  against  them,  they  have  been 
forced  apart  and  perhaps  are  on  the  point  of 
tumbling  down  altogether.  If  the  roof  passes 
its  test  well,  then  examine  the  line  of  the  walls 
and  be  sure  they  are  absolutely  vertical  and  have 
neither  spread  nor  fallen  inward. 

Next  study  the  condition  of  the  timbers.  The 

[29] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

sill  is  the  most  important  one.  If  it  is  badly 
decayed,  all  the  other  members  resting  upon  it 
will  have  been  thereby  weakened  and  the  whole 
structure  impaired.  The  upright  timbers  and 
the  studs  will  all  have  settled,  and  to  straighten 
them  will  mean  practically  the  rebuilding  of  the 
house.  The  floors  and  the  roof  which  rest  upon 
them  will  be  endangered.  Sometimes  the  ends 
of  the  uprights  have  rotted,  and  the  slightest  new 
work  about  them  will  result  in  their  crumbling 
and  undermining  the  beams  and  rafters  they 
support.  It  is  often  necessary  to  use  a  sharp 
iron  or  a  long  knife  and  pry  underneath  the 
coverings  on  both  the  exterior  and  the  interior 
to  determine  their  condition.  A  little  attention 
given  to  these  points  will  determine  whether  it  is 
worth  while  to  attempt  remodeling,  or  whether 
the  expense  involved  would  be  out  of  all  propor- 
tion to  the  result. 

Scarcely  less  vital  is  the  condition  of  the  cellar. 
Is  there  dampness,  caused  by  lack  of  ventilation, 
by  bad  walls,  or  by  some  inherent  moisture  ? 
Some  of  these  old  houses  have  a  well  in  the  cellar ; 
this  should  be  drained  off  and  filled  up.  But  if 
there  is  an  actual  spring  of  water,  as  not  infre- 
quently occurs,  either  move  the  house  or  abandon 

[30! 


O 

DC 

Q 
O 

U 


0, 

< 

O 

a 


The  Attic   Chamber 


The  Living  Room 
AN  OLD  CAPE  COD  HOUSE 


THE  KITTREDGE  HOUSE 

it.  Bad  walls  can  be  cemented  and  waterproofed. 
If  the  trouble  comes  from  lack  of  light  and  air,  it 
may  be  possible  to  cut  larger  window  openings. 
Most  old  houses  were  set  too  low,  however,  and 
it  is  frequently  an  advantage  to  raise  them.  This 
requires  sound  underpinning,  or  the  expense  will 
be  great. 

While  considering  the  subject  of  dampness,  it 
is  well  to  examine  the  roof  and  see  how  much  it 
leaks  under  the  moss-grown  shingles.  If  it  is  an 
old  house  that  is  in  tolerably  good  repair  at  the 
present  time,  it  may  be  that  under  some  previous 
owner  the  roof  fell  into  decay,  and  rains  soaked 
through.  Look  for  signs  of  this,  for  it  will  mean 
weakness  in  timbers  and  plaster  that  must  be 
guarded  against.  Examine  the  boards  of  the 
roof  to  see  if  they  are  strong  enough  to  permit  the 
laying  of  new  shingles. 

The  chimney  is  another  important  matter  to 
investigate.  In  old  houses  which  have  not  been 
used  for  some  time,  the  bricks  often  deteriorate 
and  become  so  soft  that  they  crumble  at  the  touch. 
This  would  necessitate  the  not  inconsiderable 
expense  of  rebuilding  the  whole  chimney,  unless  it 
is  so  large  that  a  second  smaller  one  may  be  in- 
serted within  the  old.  With  the  huge  fireplaces 

[31] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

of  other  days,  whose  yawning  mouths  were  often 
capable  of  holding  a  ten-foot  log,  a  metal  flue  is 
frequently  used  in  the  remodeling.  It  is  sur- 
rounded on  the  outside,  between  itself  and  the 
old  chimney,  with  concrete,  which  renders  it  en- 
tirely safe  from  danger  of  fire. 

A  glance  should  be  given  also,  in  this  inspection, 
at  the  condition  of  the  floors.  If  they  are  not 
level,  it  indicates  defects  in  the  timbers  under- 
neath. The  boards  themselves  are  often  so  rough 
and  laid  with  such  large  cracks  that  it  will  be 
necessary  to  lay  new  floors.  Notice,  too,  the  con- 
dition of  doors  and  windows ;  whether  they  are 
straight  and  true  enough  to  be  used  again,  or  if 
others  will  have  to  replace  them.  Tap  the  plaster 
here  and  there  to  see  where  it  is  loose  and  to  what 
extent  it  must  be  renewed. 

These  are  the  tests  that  indicate  whether  the 
old  house  is  worth  buying  and  what  will  be  the 
essential  expense  to  make  it  habitable.  Sometimes 
one  or  another  defect  is  so  severe  as  to  make  the 
venture  foolish;  again  it  can  be  remedied  by 
resort  to  strenuous  methods.  Not  infrequently 
the  drawbacks  of  a  bad  cellar  and  a  poor  location 
are  at  once  overcome  by  removing  the  house  alto- 
gether to  a  new  site.  This  is  practicable  when 

[32] 


THE  KITTREDGE  HOUSE 

the  building  is  sound  in  structure  and  an  inexpen- 
sive operation  if  it  is  small. 

That  was  the  proceeding  which  Miss  Mabel 
L.  Kittredge  undertook  with  an  old  fisherman's 
cottage  that  had  stood  for  many  years  on  the 
shores  of  Cape  Cod.  It  was  a  simple  little  build- 
ing, dilapidated  and  weather-beaten,  and  quite 
unsuggestive  of  a  summer  home.  But  its  very 
quaintness  and  diminutive  size  attracted  her 
attention,  and  she  determined  to  investigate  it. 
The  owner  was  willing  to  part  with  it,  just  as  it 
stood,  for  eighty-five  dollars,  not  including  the 
land. 

The  location  was  not  desirable,  and  it  was  de- 
cided to  "fleck"  the  house,  as  is  the  colloquial 
term  on  the  Cape  for  preparing  a  building  to  be 
moved.  It  was  taken  apart  and  floated  across 
the  water  to  its  new  foundations  in  South  Yar- 
mouth. Here  it  was  "unflecked"  and  set  up 
facing  the  harbor  and  the  cool  breezes  from  the 
ocean. 

The  original  building,  erected  in  the  early  part 
of  the  nineteenth  century,  was  a  small,  shingled 
structure,  thirty  by  twenty  feet,  with  a  straight 
gable  roof  rising  from  the  low  stud  of  the  first 
story.  Its  proportions  were  not  at  all  unpleas- 

[331 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

ing,  and  the  placing  of  the  several  small-paned 
windows  was  particularly  agreeable.  There  was 
a  kitchen  shed  attached  to  the  rear. 

When  it  was  set  in  position  in  the  new  location, 
additional  windows  were  cut,  a  small  porch 
built  at  the  front  entrance,  and  a  second  shed 
attached  at  right  angles  to  the  kitchen  wing.  In 
the  second  story,  a  broad  flat-roofed  dormer  with 
three  windows  increased  the  interior  space,  with- 
out seriously  altering  the  straight  lines  of  the  roof. 
The  effort  to  retain  the  original  simplicity  of  line 
is  also  evident  in  the  porch  roof,  which  follows 
closely  the  wide  angle  of  the  gable  ends  of  the 
house. 

The  original  interior  was  cut  up  into  a  number 
of  small  rooms,  the  partitions  of  which  were  re- 
moved, with  the  exception  of  those  dividing  off 
a  bedroom  at  the  rear.  This  left  one  good-sized 
apartment,  which  was  fitted  up  for  living  and 
dining-room  combined  and  made  a  most  delight- 
ful place.  The  stairs  were  built  at  the  left,  along 
the  rear  wall.  A  group  of  three  windows  was  cut 
here  to  give  extra  light  and  air,  and  the  manner 
in  which  they  have  been  handled  is  interesting. 
On  account  of  the  position  of  a  heavy  supporting 
beam,  it  was  impossible  to  make  these  new  win- 

[34] 


THE  KITTREDGE  HOUSE 

dows  the  height  of  the  original  ones.  The  effect 
of  this  was  ameliorated  by  placing  a  shelf  directly 
above  the  group  of  three  and  extending  it  across 
the  wall  to  meet  the  old  window.  A  number  of 
interesting  pieces  of  china  placed  on  the  shelf  give 
it  a  character  and  weight  which  thus  carries  the 
eye  along  from  one  opening  to  the  other  without 
any  consciousness  of  the  break  in  height.  This 
is  but  one  of  those  ingenious  methods  by  which 
remodeling  is  made  successful. 

The  large,  old-fashioned  fireplace  is  the  center 
of  interest  in  this  room.  At  the  right  of  it  is  a 
china  closet  with  mullioned  glass  door,  and  on  the 
left  two  narrower  closets  are  found  in  the  panel- 
ing. A  new  hardwood  floor  had  to  be  laid,  as  the 
original  one  was  in  bad  condition.  The  wainscot 
and  woodwork  throughout  the  house  was  un- 
usually good  for  such  a  small  and  unpretentious 
structure.  After  the  former  layers  of  paint  had 
been  removed  and  the  wood  thoroughly  cleaned,  it 
was  finished  in  white.  The  walls,  scraped  down 
to  the  original  plaster,  were  painted  in  a  soft  green 
flat-coat  that  was  delightfully  fresh  and  cool. 

Back  of  this  large  room  was  a  small  hallway 
leading  into  the  ell  at  the  back.  At  the  left,  space 
was  taken  for  a  bathroom. 

[35] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

The  kitchen  was  kept  practically  the  same  as 
in  the  old  house.  The  rough  stud  and  rafters  were 
stained  a  dark  brown,  and  the  boards  of  the  roof 
whitewashed.  The  walls  were  plastered  to  the 
height  of  the  stud.  A  modern  stove  was  attached 
to  the  old  chimney  flue  on  the  outside  of  the  build- 
ing. The  exposed  uprights  provided  an  oppor- 
tunity for  convenient  shelves  to  be  built  for  the 
various  kitchen  appliances. 

Up-stairs  the  entire  floor  was  thrown  into  one 
room,  instead  of  making  several  small,  stuffy, 
sleeping  apartments.  The  dormer  which  was  cut 
in  the  front  added  not  only  to  the  light,  air,  and 
space  of  the  room,  but  gave  an  opportunity  for 
a  most  attractive  window-seat  to  be  built  beneath 
the  broad  windows.  The  old,  wide  boards  of  the 
floor  were  in  good  condition  and  kept  intact. 
The  walls  were  plastered  to  the  ridge,  exposing 
the  heavy  tie-beams.  Along  the  walls  under 
the  eaves,  sets  of  drawers  were  built  into  the  wood- 
work, thus  obviating  the  necessity  of  having 
chiffoniers  or  chests  of  drawers  to  consume  al- 
ready limited  space.  The  rough  bricks  of  the 
chimney,  which  breaks  slantingly  through  the 
floor  near  the  center  of  the  room,  are  not  con- 
cealed. Instead,  they  form  a  rather  decorative 

[36] 


AN  OLD  CAPE   COD   HOUSE  —  THE   KITCHEN 


The  Entrance  Porch 
THE   CURTIS   HOUSE 


THE  KITTREDGE  HOUSE 

feature  in  the  little  apartment,  and  about  the  four 
sides  of  the  flue  shelves  are  built  which  serve  as 
a  dressing-table  and  a  desk. 

The  furnishings  of  the  whole  house  are  delight- 
fully simple  and  suggestive  of  the  quaint  Colonial 
period  when  it  was  built.  Tables  and  chairs, 
pictures,  mirrors,  and  china  are  interesting  heir- 
looms that  have  been  handed  down  in  the  family 
of  the  owner  and  preserve  the  spirit  of  the  little 
cottage  as  admirably  as  do  the  various  alterations 
which  have  made  it  so  modern  and  habitable. 


[37] 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE    CURTIS    HOUSE 

THE  great  charm  of  Colonial  farmhouses  lies 
in  the  simplicity  of  their  appearance.  Many 
dilapidated,  weather-beaten  old  buildings,  long 
neglected  by  an  indifferent  community,  are  really 
little  masterpieces  of  harmonious  line  and  good 
proportion. 

The  style  of  the  roof  tells  much  about  the  age 
of  the  building  to  the  initiated,  and  its  line  is  easily 
the  most  important  factor  in  the  appearance  of 
the  house.  The  pitched  roof  is  one  of  the  oldest 
types  and  was  used  long  before  our  country  was 
discovered.  This  roof  slopes  away  from  the  ridge- 
pole on  both  sides,  thus  forming  a  triangular  area, 
the  angle  at  each  end  of  which  is  called  a  gable. 
In  the  early  days,  the  pitch  was  built  very  steep 
to  accommodate  the  thatching  with  which  the 
roof  was  covered.  As  shingles  came  into  use,  the 
slope  gradually  flattened,  and  the  age  can  be 
roughly  judged  by  its  angle. 

The  gambrel  roof  appeared  before  the  eighteenth 

[38] 


THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 

century  and  was  commonly  used  in  New  England 
farmhouses.  Each  side  of  this  is  made  up  of  two 
distinct  pitches,  which  have  no  rule  to  govern 
their  relationship.  A  somewhat  later  develop- 
ment was  the  hipped  roof,  in  which  the  gabled 
ends  were  flattened,  making  four  flat  sides  slop- 
ing from  the  ridge-pole.  This  was  used  when 
no  attic  chamber  was  needed.  In  the  more  pre- 
tentious Georgian  houses,  the  top  was  flattened, 
and  a  wooden  balustrade  put  around  it.  These 
roofs  are  generally  shingled  and  practically  never 
painted ;  the  soft  gray  color  they  attain  in  weather- 
ing is  sometimes  imitated  in  stain  on  new  shingles. 
The  addition  of  a  wing  or  ell  brought  up  a  new 
problem  in  roofing,  and  it  is  this  point  that  de- 
mands most  serious  attention  from  the  remodeler. 
The  old  builders  have  not  always  been  successful 
in  preserving  the  unity  of  the  roof  line  that  is  so 
essential  to  pleasing  design.  Whenever  it  is  pos- 
sible, the  new  roof  should  be  made  a  part  of  the 
old,  and  the  lines  of  one  should  run  into  those  of 
the  other.  The  pitch  of  the  two  should  be  prac- 
tically the  same.  The  same  type  of  roof  must 
be  used  over  all  parts  of  the  building,  although 
it  is  occasionally  permissible  to  have  a  pitched 
roof  on  an  ell  when  the  main  roof  is  a  gambrel. 

[39] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Where  a  veranda  is  added,  its  roof  line  must  be 
carefully  studied  and  made  to  seem  an  original 
part  of  the  building,  not  something  stuck  on  as  an 
afterthought.  This  problem  of  keeping  the  lines 
of  the  different  roofs  in  harmony  is  a  vital  one, 
and  nowhere  is  there  greater  demand  for  ingenuity 
and  thoughtful  treatment. 

The  question  of  dormers  is  also  important. 
When  it  is  desired  to  have  a  second-story  porch 
or  sleeping-room,  the  dormer  often  supplies  the 
solution  of  this  difficult  problem.  The  earliest 
ones  were  merely  a  flattening  of  the  pitch  of  the 
roof,  and  this  is  the  type  that  should  be  used  when 
it  is  necessary  to  add  a  dormer  to  the  older  farm- 
houses. As  the  Georgian  details  were  developed, 
the  gable-roofed  dormer  was  used  with  the  cornice 
moldings  of  porches  and  door  frames.  These 
dormers  were  high,  with  a  single  window  often 
having  a  semicircular  head.  They  were  usually 
combined  in  groups  of  three  and  connected  with 
each  other  by  a  balustrade. 

The  exterior  walls  of  the  first  houses  were  made 
of  heavy  boards  laid  vertically  on  the  framework, 
without  studding.  Before  long,  the  wood  was 
laid  horizontally,  each  board  overlapping  the  one 
below  it.  This  clapboarding  and  siding  was 

[40] 


THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 

used  without  interruption  through  all  the  various 
changes  in  other  details.  Much  later,  the  shingle 
was  adopted  for  the  sides  of  the  house  as  well  as 
for  the  roof.  A  larger  shingle,  however,  was  used 
on  the  walls,  with  a  wide  exposure  of  surface. 
These  were  made  of  pine  or  cypress. 

Although  the  walls  of  most  old  houses  follow 
a  straight  line  from  one  story  to  the  next,  there 
was  a  type,  copied  by  the  colonists  from  the 
buildings  of  the  mother  country  and  used  some- 
what freely  before  the  Georgian  era,  in  which  the 
second  story  extended  beyond  the  first.  This 
overhang  was  generally  used  only  on  the  front 
and  back  and  not  on  all  four  sides,  as  in  the  Euro- 
pean counterparts.  The  girders  and  cross  beams 
were  framed  into  the  second-story  posts,  which 
frequently  ended  in  an  ornamental  knob  or  drop, 
as  it  was  called.  The  gables,  too,  occasionally 
had  a  slight  overhang.  In  altering  a  pre-Georgian 
house,  it  is  therefore  permissible  to  make  use  of 
this  overhang  feature,  and  it  may  solve  some  other- 
wise knotty  problems  of  required  extra  space. 

A  house  which  shows  unusually  clever  handling 
of  these  points  is  situated  in  the  little  village  of 
Charles  River,  not  so  many  miles  outside  of  Bos- 
ton. Within  the  last  few  years,  this  locality  has 

[41] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

been  opened  up,  and  many  modern  homes  have 
been  built  and  farmhouses  remodeled.  They  are 
situated  along  charming  woodland  roads  and 
seem  to  nestle  in  their  picturesque  surroundings. 
This  particular  one  stands  on  the  road  from 
Boston  to  Dover,  invitingly  shaded  by  graceful 
elms  that  have  watched  unnumbered  generations 
pass.  It  suggests  to  passers-by  a  typical,  seven- 
teenth century  farmhouse,  ingeniously  remodeled, 
through  the  plans  of  the  late  Philip  B.  Howard 
and  F.  M.  Wakefield,  architects  of  Boston,  into 
a  twentieth-century  summer  home.  This  old 
farmhouse  was  built  in  1647  and  was  of  the  rectan- 
gular type,  built  about  a  central  chimney,  with 
four  rooms  and  a  hall  on  the  lower  floor.  When 
Mr.  Frederick  H.  Curtis  selected  it  for  his  home, 
it  had  already  been  materially  altered  from  the 
original  simple  structure  by  various  succeeding 
tenants.  And  many  of  these  had  not  added  to 
its  charms.  The  exterior  was  most  uninviting 
in  a  vicious  shade  of  red  paint  with  white  trim. 
In  front  was  a  small  lattice  porch  entirely  out  of 
keeping  with  the  architecture  of  the  house.  But 
in  spite  of  all  these  unattractive  features,  there 
was  an  insistent  appeal  about  the  old  place  that 
made  it  seem  worth  venturing  to  restore. 

[42] 


Before   Remodeling; 
o 


Remodeled 
THE   CURTIS   HOUSE 


The   Hall  and   Unique   Stairway 
THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 


THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 

The  first  problem  which  presented  itself  was 
that  of  interior  space.  The  difficulty  lay  in  en- 
larging this  space  in  such  a  way  as  to  provide 
the  needed  room  and  at  the  same  time  maintain  the 
harmony  'of  the  exterior  lines.  The  original  four 
rooms  had  been  added  to  from  time  to  time  by 
former  owners  by  means  of  the  customary  ells  at 
the  rear.  The  house  was  two  and  a  half  stories 
high,  with  a  straight,  pitched  roof  starting  from 
the  top  of  the  second  story.  In  the  rear  there  was 
a  two-story  ell  and  a  one-story  addition  behind 
that,  with  an  outside  chimney.  Each  of  these 
was  increased  by  one  room,  so  that  space  for 
a  laundry  was  added  in  the  lower  floor  and  for 
servants'  quarters  in  the  second.  The  chimney 
was  kept  on  the  outside  above  the  laundry  roof 
and  built  up  to  the  required  height.  This  second- 
story  extension  overhangs  the  old  kitchen  wall 
by  about  eighteen  inches  on  one  side  and  on  the 
other  runs  into  an  entirely  new  wing,  whose  roof 
line  joins  without  a  break  to  that  of  the  old  ell. 
The  roof  of  the  main  building  has  been  extended 
in  the  rear,  following  its  straight  line  to  the  top 
of  the  first  story,  as  was  frequently  done  in  old 
houses.  This  brought  the  lines  of  the  main  build- 
ing and  the  rear  ells  into  greater  harmony  and 

[43] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

provided  space  for  an  outdoor  living-room  on  the 
first  floor.  A  flat-roofed  dormer  was  thrown  out 
above  this  on  the  second  floor  and  turned  into  a 
sleeping-porch.  The  lines  of  the  several  roofs  have 
thus  been  kept  remarkably  simple,  considering  the 
great  amount  of  space  which  has  been  added. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  house  a  new  wing 
has  been  added  to  the  second  floor,  parallel  to 
the  main  building  and  at  right  angles  to  the  ells 
in  the  rear.  The  front  part  of  it  has  a  pitched 
roof  following  the  angle  of  that  on  the  main  build- 
ing, and  the  rear  has  a  flat  roof  on  a  very  low  stud. 
This  provides  three  additional  rooms  on  the  second 
floor.  It  has  been  built  over  an  outdoor  breakfast 
or  morning-room  on  the  first  floor,  and  the  kitchen 
has  been  widened  under  it. 

At  the  front  of  the  house,  the  flat-roofed  en- 
trance porch  was  removed,  and  one  more  in  keep- 
ing with  the  Colonial  period  built  in  its  place. 
This  has  a  gabled  roof,  supported  in  front  on  two 
simple  columns.  The  back  part  of  it  is  closed  and 
forms  a  small  vestibule,  with  old-time  oval  windows 
extending  on  each  side  beyond  the  gabled  roof-line. 
There  are  two  benches  in  front,  also  beyond  this  line 
and  protected  by  vine-grown  lattices  and  small,  ex- 
tending eaves.  The  floor  is  paved  with  brick. 

[441 


THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 

These  comprise  the  major  changes  to  the  ex- 
terior ;  but  new  shingles  were  put  on  the  old  roof ; 
the  dilapidated  slat-shutters  were  replaced  by 
blinds  of  solid  wood,  with  a  diamond  cut  in  the 
upper  panel  after  the  old-time  fashion;  and  the 
ugly  red  paint  was  changed  to  a  soft  Colonial  buff. 

The  narrow  entrance  hall,  opening  directly  on 
the  stairs,  has  not  been  altered.  In  the  stairs, 
however,  an  exceedingly  interesting  treatment  has 
been  introduced,  made  necessary  by  the  plan  of 
the  rooms  above.  On  the  first  landing  a  doorway 
was  cut  in  the  chimney  wall,  and  stairs  built  up 
the  center  of  the  chimney  between  the  two  flues. 
These  give  access  to  a  small  hall  in  the  rear,  con- 
necting the  several  bedrooms.  The  door  that 
leads  to  these  stairs,  at  the  foot,  is  a  "secret" 
one;  that  is,  it  is  covered  with  the  wall-paper 
which  surrounds  it  and  fits  tightly  into  the  wall 
without  framing  woodwork. 

At  the  right  of  the  hallway  the  parlor  and  dining- 
room  were  thrown  into  one  long  living-room,  and 
a  pleasant  triple  window  was  cut  in  'the  rear  wall 
lookimg  out  upon  the  veranda.  The  fine  old  wood- 
work about  the  fireplace  was  restored  to  its  original 
beauty  with  many  coats  of  white  paint.  The  hand- 
hewn  beams  in  the  ceiling  were  uncovered  from 

[451 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

the  casing  which  had  hidden  them,  and  the  wood 
rubbed  and  oiled.  The  floor  was  found  to  be  in 
good  condition  and,  after  the  placing  of  additional 
boards  where  the  partition  was  removed,  was 
merely  scraped,  filled,  stained,  and  polished.  A 
semicircular  corner  cupboard  in  a  reproduction  of 
an  old  style,  its  shelves  filled  with  interesting  speci- 
mens of  seventeenth-century  pewter,  gives  char- 
acter to  the  room.  The  walls  were  finished  in  a 
soft  shade  of  burlap,  and  the  old  mahogany  furni- 
ture, chintz  covers,  rag  rugs,  and  simple  scrim 
curtains  preserve  the  delightful  atmosphere. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  is  the  library 
or  den.  This  is  unchanged,  except  for  the  white 
paint  and  the  quaint  Colonial  wall-paper.  Willow 
furniture  is  used. 

Back  of  this,  and  extending  across  to  the  living- 
room,  is  the  dining-room.  The  beams  show  the 
position  of  the  original  walls  and  indicate  the  way 
in  which  the  room  was  enlarged.  This  leaves 
the  fireplace  at  the  side  of  a  sort  of  alcove  and  so, 
to  balance  it  and  give  importance  to  that  end  of 
the  room,  a  china  closet  was  built  across  the  corner. 
An  unpaneled  wainscot,  with  simple  baseboard 
and  molding  at  the  top,  runs  around  the  room,  the 
new  part  matching  the  old.  The  woodwork  is  all 

[46] 


THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 

white,  including  the  encased  beams,  which  here 
were  not  in  a  condition  to  be  exposed.  The  upper 
walls  are  covered  with  a  blue  and  silver  grass-cloth 
that  strikes  an  effective  color  note  behind  the 
mahogany  furniture.  In  this  room  is  a  good 
example  of  the  use  of  modern  reproductions  of 
Sheraton  chairs  with  a  genuine  old  sideboard. 

Glass  doors  lead  from  either  end  of  the  dining- 
room  on  to  the  two  verandas.  Both  of  these 
verandas  are  really  rooms  without  walls,  as  they 
have  been  incorporated  so  completely  within  the 
lines  and  framework  of  the  house.  The  one  on  the 
side  of  the  house  in  front  of  the  kitchen  is  used  as 
a  breakfast-room,  and  many  of  the  other  meals  are 
served  out  here  in  the  open  air.  That  in  the  rear 
of  the  living-room  is  a  delightful  spot  on  summer 
afternoons  and  evenings.  Both  of  these  porches 
are  thoroughly  screened  and  fitted  with  framework 
in  which  glass  sashes  are  placed  during  the  winter. 

On  the  second  floor  there  are  four  bedrooms  and 
a  bath  in  the  main  part  of  the  building,  with  a 
sleeping  balcony  leading  from  one  of  them.  This 
is  protected  with  screens  and  awnings  and  fur- 
nished with  hammocks  and  reclining  chairs.  In 
the  wings  there  are  three  servants'  rooms  and  a 
bath.  All  of  the  rooms  have  been  fitted  up  in  a 

[47] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

quaintly  simple  style  that  is  thoroughly  in  keeping 
with  the  period  of  the  house,  the  low  ceilings,  and 
fine  woodwork.  In  some  of  the  rooms  there  are 
valuable  old  pieces  of  furniture,  a  four-poster  of 
the  Sheraton  type,  and  a  highboy  with  details 
of  the  Queen  Anne  period.  In  another  room  mod- 
ern white  enamel  furniture  has  been  used,  but  it  is 
so  simple  and  straightforward  in  design  that  it 
harmonizes  entirely  with  the  atmosphere  of  the 
room  engendered  by  the  old  fireplace  and  chimney 
cupboard,  the  thumb  latches  on  the  doors,  rag  rugs, 
and  an  old-time  wall-paper  figured  with  stripes  of 
morning-glories  and  daintily  poised  humming-birds. 
In  this  second  floor,  the  old  iron  hardware  has  been 
largely  used  in  strap  and  H  and  L  hinges,  latches, 
knobs,  and  shutter  fastenings. 

Throughout  the  lower '  story,  modern  brass 
knobs  and  key  plates  reproducing  an  old  Colonial 
pattern  have  been  used,  securing  greater  conven- 
ience and  safety. 

Hot-air  heating  has  been  installed  and  electric 
lighting.  The  outlets,  however,  are  all  in  the  walls 
or  baseboard  sockets,  so  that  there  is  no  conspicuous 
inconsistency  in  the  atmosphere,  and  lamps  and 
candles  are  also  used  throughout  the  house. 


[48] 


Side  View 


The   Dining  Room 
THE  CURTIS  HOUSE 


CHAPTER  V 

GREEN   MEADOWS 

THE  architect  of  to-day  has  an  advantage  over 
the  master  builder  of  long  ago  in  that  he  is  able 
to  grasp  all  ideas  that  were  introduced  into  the 
old  house  and  can  restore  it  without  losing  the 
spirit  of  the  original  in  either  the  exterior  or  in- 
terior. The  wings  and  ells  which  were  added  by 
succeeding  tenants  often  bear  little  relation  to 
the  main  building  and  must  either  be  torn  down 
or  harmonized  in  some  way  to  preserve  the  unity 
of  the  completed  design.  The  general  plan  of  the 
house  and  the  arrangement  of  the  rooms  should 
be  carefully  observed  before  the  house  owner  and 
architect  undertake  the  task  of  remodeling.  Too 
many  houses  are  disappointing  because  a  study 
has  not  been  made  of  the  different  types  and  periods 
of  old  houses,  and  the  result  is  a  mixture,  neither 
one  thing  nor  the  other. 

Old  Colonial  houses  were  always  built  on  the 
rectangular  plan,  as  this  provided  the  greatest 
amount  of  enclosed  space  with  the  least  expendi- 

[491 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

ture  of  labor  and  material.  They  were  also  con- 
structed about  an  axis,  and  it  is  essential  for  the 
remodeler  to  determine  what  that  axis  is  before 
making  any  alterations. 

In  the  earliest  days,  the  chimney  was  the  center 
of  the  building  and  dominated  the  plan.  The 
various  rooms  opened  around  it,  so  that  as  many 
of  them  as  possible  could  have  a  fireplace  from 
the  one  chimney.  It  was  consequently  a  huge 
affair  and  occupied  about  three  fourths  as  much 
space  as  one  of  the  rooms.  In  the  first  plans, 
there  were  usually  but  two  rooms,  a  kitchen  on 
one  side  and  a  parlor  on  the  other.  Later,  a 
room  was  built  in  the  back  for  the  kitchen,  and 
a  third  opening  made  in  the  chimney.  The  nar- 
row stairs  were  built  in  at  the  front  to  fit  into  the 
chimney  space  and  generally  ascended  with  two 
landings  and  turns  at  right  angles. 

As  a  late-  development,  about  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  four  equally  large  rooms  were  needed, 
and  this  one  chimney  was  divided  into  two  and 
placed  on  either  side  of  the  center  of  the  house,  so 
that  in  each  of  the  main  rooms  there  was  a  fire- 
place opening  front  or  back  from  one  of  the  two 
chimneys.  This  arrangement  altered  the  position 
of  the  stairs,  and  stairs  and  hall  became  the  central 

[50] 


GREEN  MEADOWS 

axis  of  the  house.  The  proportion  of  the  space 
allotted  to  them,  however,  remained  about  the 
same  as  when  the  chimney  had  occupied  the  center. 
This  accounts  for  the  wide  Colonial  halls,  which 
are  such  a  charming  feature  of  old  houses.  The 
stairs  were  built  along  one  side,  the  length  of  the 
hall,  often  a  perfectly  straight  flight  without 
turn  or  landing,  and  the  hall  was  frequently  cut 
clear  through  to  a  door  in  the  back,  which  formed 
a  rear  exit  to  the  garden.  The  Georgian  houses 
at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  were  com- 
monly built  on  this  plan. 

There  was  one  other  distinct  type,  in  which 
the  fireplaces  in  the  four  corner  rooms  were  in 
the  outer  walls,  and  four  separate  chimneys  were 
built.  The  central  hall  and  staircase  retained 
their  same  dominant  proportions,  but  a  second 
cross  hall  was  sometimes  built,  dividing  the  house 
from  end  to  end. 

To  all  of  these  types,  additions  were  frequently 
made,  as  the  family  increased,  or  new  owners 
took  possession.  The  extra  space  was  not  ac- 
quired by  enlarging  the  main  building  but  by 
adding  an  ell  in  the  back  at  right  angles  to  the 
original  structure,  or  a  wing  at  the  side,  parallel 
with  it.  These  additions  were  attached  to  the 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

house  by  their  smallest  dimension,  as  that  ob- 
structed the  least  amount  of  light.  They  were 
smaller  than  the  main  part;  many  were  but  one 
story  in  height,  and  those  that  were  two  had  a 
lower  stud,  so  that  the  original  building  would 
remain  the  important  feature  in  the  whole. 

After  examining  the  old  house  from  this  point 
of  view,  consider  the  new  uses  to  which  it  will  be 
put  and  determine  what  changes  will  have  to 
be  made.  Sketch  the  entire  plan  out  before  com- 
mencing an  alteration,  and  then  endeavor  to  see 
if  the  proposed  remodeling  is  practical  from  a 
structural  point  of  view,  and  if  it  harmonizes  with 
the  original  spirit  of  the  old  building.  Mark  out 
in  each  room  the  position  of  windows  and  decide 
where  new  ones  may  have  to  be  cut  in  the  re- 
arranged interiors.  Study  the  fireplaces  and  find 
out  whether  the  proposed  removal  of  a  partition 
wall  will  throw  them  out  of  balance  in  the  rooms, 
and  what  you  can  do  to  counteract  it.  Pay  partic- 
ular attention  to  closet  room,  for  in  the  old  days 
it  was  given  too  little  consideration  for  modern 
requirements. 

Draw  rough  plans  and  put  your  ideas  regarding 
every  possibility  down  on  paper ;  it  is  surprising 
how  many  new  suggestions  will  occur  as  each 

[52] 


GREEN  MEADOWS 

scheme  is  worked  out,  and  there  is  a  fascination 
in  seeing  how  much  can  be  fitted  into  a  given 
space.  After  the  work  is  begun,  unforeseen  condi- 
tions will  crop  up  and  necessitate  changes  in  the 
project,  as  well  as  disclose  new  opportunities, 
but  a  greater  part  of  the  planning  can  be  done 
beforehand. 

A  roomy,  old,  New  England  farmhouse  near 
Hamilton  was  recognized  by  Mr.  George  Bur- 
roughs as  a  fertile  subject  for  development  into 
a  beautiful  country  home.  It  was  situated  in 
the  heart  of  rolling  country  and  surrounded  by 
wide  stretches  of  grass  land,  from  which  the  estate 
was  named  "Green  Meadows." 

The  original  house,  separated  from  the  highway 
by  an  old  wall  of  field  stone  and  an  elm-shaded 
dooryard,  was  built  in  1786,  and  it  is  curious  to 
note  that  no  deed  was  ever  recorded.  It  was  the 
usual  type  of  farmhouse,  constructed  about  a 
central  chimney,  two  and  a  half  stories  in  height, 
with  an  unbroken  roof  line.  Subsequent  owners 
had  added  wings  at  each  side  instead  of  the  more 
customary  ell  at  the  rear.  One  of  these  wings 
is  of  brick,  which  indicates  that  it  was  probably 
not  built  before  the  middle  of  the  last  century, 
but  although  the  two  building  materials  seem 

lS3l 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

incongruous  in  the  one  house,  vines  have  so  over- 
grown this  wing  that  the  red  glimpsed  through 
them  and  contrasting  with  the  white  walls  of  the 
house  is  very  attractive. 

The  only  important  alterations  in  the  exterior 
appearance  of  the  house  were  in  the  addition  of 
the  long  veranda  across  the  rear  and  the  altera- 
tion of  the  frame  wing  at  the  right.  The  old 
structure  was  found  to  be  in  too  dilapidated  a 
condition  to  restore,  but  it  was  reproduced  in  all 
its  exterior  details  and  joined  to  the  end  of  a  new 
wing  attached  to  the  house  and  a  trifle  broader 
than  the  old.  Two  hip-roofed  dormers  add  to 
the  space  in  the  second  floor  and  permit  the 
construction  of  attractive  servants'  quarters. 

The  frame  of  the  entrance  door  in  the  center 
of  the  front  facade  is  a  particularly  happy  example 
of  the  simple  Georgian  style  used  in  the  better 
class  of  farmhouses  of  that  day.  Its  flat  pilasters 
and  well-proportioned  cornice  illustrate  the  re- 
straint and  refinement  in  the  work  of  even  the 
average  builders. 

The  door  itself  opens  into  a  small  hallway, 
restored  with  fresh  white  paint  to  all  its  original 
beauty. 

On  this  left  side  of  the  house  the  partition  be- 

[54] 


GREEN  MEADOWS 

tween  the  old  dining-room  and  parlor  has  been 
removed  to  make  one  large  living-room.  After 
the  cornices  and  the  wainscoting  were  restored, 
the  woodwork,  including  the  encased  beams  in 
the  ceiling,  was  painted  white.  The  condition 
of  the  old  floor  made  it  necessary  to  lay  a  new 
one  of  hard  wood.  This  room  admirably  reflects 
the  old  Colonial  spirit  in  its  fireplace  and  cup- 
boards. The  paneling  above  the  mantel  shelf 
presents  an  interesting  variation  in  the  framing 
of  fireplaces.  The  original  wainscot  with  its 
molded  cap  divides  the  wall  surface  in  an  agree- 
able proportion,  and  the  rather  heavy  cornice 
moldings  at  the  ceiling  line  relieve  the  emphasis 
of  the  great  beams.  The  old  hardware  is  used 
on  doors  and  windows,  the  thumb  latches  are 
finished  in  the  natural  black,  and  the  H  and  L 
hinges  painted  white  to  correspond  with  the  wood- 
work. The  upper  part  of  the  walls  is  covered  with 
a  rose-colored  paper  reproducing  a  conventional 
Georgian  medallion  design  in  silvery  gray.  This 
rose  color  has  been  carried  out  in  all  the  furnish- 
ings of  this  room;  the  upholstery  of  chairs  and 
sofas  is  in  a  deeper  shade;  the  over-curtains  are 
somewhat  paler,  and  in  the  Oriental  rugs,  rose 
blends  with  soft  browns  and  blues.  Old-fashioned 

[55] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Venetian  blinds  or  slat-curtains  shade  the  win- 
dows in  the  living-room  and  throughout  the  house. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  entrance  hall  is  the 
reception-room.  The  same  treatment  has  been  ac- 
corded here  as  in  the  living-room,  and  the  furnish- 
ings are  especially  harmonious  and  well  arranged. 
The  long,  low  lines  of  an  Adam  sofa,  a  slender- 
legged  desk,  and  chairs  and  table,  each  one  a 
noteworthy  masterpiece  of  cabinet  making,  are 
admirably  chosen  to  add  apparent  height  to  the 
low  stud,  but  the  monotony  of  too  much  light  and 
low  furniture  is  broken  by  a  tall  grandfather 
clock  placed  in  the  corner.  The  pictures  on  the 
walls,  old  prints  simply  framed  in  mahogany, 
are  hung  with  a  similar  thought  to  increase  the 
apparent  height  of  the  room,  and  their  arrange- 
ment is  well  worth  studying.  The  fireplace,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  chimney  from  that  in  the 
living-room,  is  equally  interesting.  The  wall  above 
the  white  wainscot  is  papered  in  a  golden  yellow 
of  conventional  flowers,  and  the  upholstery  and 
draperies  are  of  a  golden  striped  and  figured  Adam 
damask  that  brings  out  the  rich  color  of  the 
satinwood  and  mahogany  furniture. 

In  the  rear,  on  the  same  side  of  the  house,  is 
the  dining-room.  The  old  woodwork  here  was 

[56] 


The  Old-fashioned   Chamber 


The  Living  Room 
GREEN    MEADOWS 


Two  Views  of  the   Den 
GREEN    MEADOWS 


GREEN  MEADOWS 

insignificant,  and  it  has  been  replaced  with  modern 
paneled  wainscot  covering  two  thirds  of  the  wall 
surface.  One  could  wish  that  the  proportions 
of  the  original  woodwork  had  been  a  little  more 
closely  followed,  and  the  atmosphere  of  the  other 
rooms  carried  more  definitely  into  this.  The 
old  fireplace  has  been  retained  across  the  corner 
of  the  room  with  its  flue  in  the  central  chimney, 
but  its  frame  is  a  modern  conception.  The 
chimney  cupboard  in  the  side  has  been  turned 
into  a  china  closet  with  a  new  door  of  mullioned 
glass  displaying  interesting  old  pewter  and  plates. 
The  upper  third  of  the  wall  above  the  wainscot 
is  covered  with  a  reproduction  of  an  old-time 
scenic  paper  in  greens  and  grays,  and  the  window 
hangings  are  of  corresponding  colors  in  damask. 
The  seats  of  the  Hepplewhite  chairs  carry  the 
same  tones  in  tapestry.  The  apparent  size  of 
the  dining-room  has  been  cleverly  increased  by 
carrying  the  decorative  motives  into  the  passage- 
way which  connects  it  with  the  service  quarters 
in  the  right  wing.  The  same  paneling  of  the 
wainscot  and  the  same  paper  above,  seen  through 
the  double  doorway,  give  the  impression  that  this  is 
all  part  of  the  one  room,  and  the  placing  of  a  buffet 
in  front  of  the  opening  enhances  the  effect. 

is?] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

On  the  other  side  of  the  dining-room  a  small 
hall,  paneled  with  white  enameled  woodwork  to 
the  ceiling,  leads  into  the  living-room. 

French  doors  of  glass  open  from  here  on  to  the 
wide  veranda  which  has  been  added  across  the 
back  of  the  house,  overlooking  the  green  meadows 
and  shady  vales  that  stretch  away  on  all  sides. 

From  this  veranda  or  from  the  living-room,  one 
can  enter  the  brick  wing  at  the  left  of  the  house. 
This  originally  contained  the  kitchen  with  bed- 
rooms above,  but  in  altering  it,  the  entire  wing 
was  thrown  into  one  room  opened  to  the  roof. 
With  the  great  old  beams  and  rafters  showing, 
and  all  the  woodwork  stained  dark,  this  apart- 
ment lends  itself  admirably  to  the  character  of 
a  den  or  smoking-room.  At  the  end,  the  old 
kitchen  chimney  has  been  utilized  for  a  fireplace, 
and  old  paneling  inserted  above  the  high  mantel. 
Seats  have  been  built  under  the  windows  flanking 
the  chimney  and,  with  their  soft  cushions  and 
pillows,  add  materially  to  the  comfort  of  the  room. 
The  windows  in  this  wing  are  unusually  large,  — 
an  indication  of  the  later  date  of  its  construction, 
—  and  in  order  to  carry  the  same  proportions  in 
their  divisions  as  in  the  older  part  of  the  house, 
twenty-four  panes  of  glass  were  used  in  each. 

[58] 


GREEN  MEADOWS 

A  rich  green  and  brown  landscape  paper  covers 
the  upper  two  thirds  of  the  walls  above  the  wainscot 
molding.  The  upholstery  and  cushions  on  daven- 
port, armchairs,  and  window-seats  of  brown  leather 
stamp  this  apartment  indelibly  as  a  man's  room, 
and  the  decorations  of  old  flint-locks  in  one  corner 
add  to  the  effect. 

The  service  quarters  of  the  house  in  the  wings 
at  the  right  have  been  made  especially  complete. 
In  the  middle  section  are  butler's  pantry,  kitchen, 
laundry,  and  refrigerator,  with  two  bedrooms  on 
the  second  floor;  and  in  the  narrower  part  is  a 
servants'  hall  and  three  bedrooms  which  are  open 
to  the  roof. 

On  the  upper  floor  of  the  main  part  of  the  house 
the  four  bedrooms  have  been  kept  much  as.  in  the 
past.  Those  in  the  rear  have  been  made  to  open 
out,  through  double  doors,  on  to  the  second  story 
of  the  veranda,  which  can  be  used  as  a  sleeping- 
porch.  The  old  white  woodwork  and  the  original 
fireplaces  add  their  ineffable  charm.  The  floors 
were  in  poor  condition  and  are  covered  with  mat- 
ting as  a  background  for  the  rag  rugs.  .Some  very 
interesting  old  pieces  of  furniture  add  to  the  atmos- 
phere of  these  chambers. 

The  registers  of  the  hot-air  heating  system  which 

[59] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

has  been  installed  are  unusually  well  selected  for 
an  old  Colonial  house.  Instead  of  the  customary 
meaningless  scroll  and  meander  pattern  in  the 
grills,  a  simple  square  lattice  has  been  used,  which 
preserves  the  spirit  of  other  days  admirably. 


[60] 


CHAPTER  VI 

NAWN   FARM 

CITY  people  are  prone  to  think  that  the  country 
is  agreeable  only  during  the  summer  months, 
and  that  winters  spent  there  are  unpleasant  and 
dreary.  This  notion  is  fast  being  dispelled,  as 
country  houses  are  kept  open  longer  and  longer 
each  year,  and  the  pleasures  of  country  week-ends 
during  the  entire  winter  are  definitely  proven. 
There  is  in  reality  no  more  delightful  place  to 
spend  the  long  winter  months  than  in  the  heart 
of  a  beautiful  country.  A  never-ending  round  of 
interests  astonishes  one  who  has  never  tried  it 
before.  Each  month  brings  a  fresh  phase,  and 
it  is  hard  to  determine  whether  the  country  is 
at  its  best  during  the  summer  or  winter  season. 

There  is  a  fascination  indescribable  in  watching 
the  fall  of  snow,  the  settling  of  flakes  on  the  bare 
limbs,  the  transition  from  brown  to  diamond- 
covered  branches  that  glisten  with  every  motion 
and  are  often  decorated  with  long  icicles  reflecting 
all  the  prismatic  colors.  If  you  have  never  seen 

[61] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

this  side  of  country  life,  you  will  find  it  a  won- 
derful world,  where  it  is  intensely  interesting  to 
study  the  seasons  in  turn,  note  the  coming  and 
going  of  birds,  look  for  the  early  and  late  flowers, 
watch  the  melting  of  snows  and  the  swelling  of 
buds  in  the  warm  spring  suns. 

More  active  pleasures,  too,  await  the  adventurer 
in  the  winter  country.  There  are  so  many  sports 
to  be  enjoyed  that  one  does  not  wonder  the  youth 
delights  to  come  here  for  skating,  snow-shoeing, 
or  toboganning.  What  is  more  delightful  than  a 
sleighing  party,  whose  destination  is  a  remodeled 
farmhouse  not  too  many  miles  from  the  city  ? 
Start  the  cheery  fire  in  the  huge  fireplace,  pile 
on  the  six-foot  logs,  draw  your  chairs  nearer  while 
you  forget  the  outside  world,  and  feel  a  glow  of 
delight  that  you,  too,  have  joined  the  throng  who 
know  the  thrill  of  country  life. 

The  first  thing  to  do  when  contemplating  an 
all-the-year-round  country  home  is  to  look  for  a 
house  in  the  right  location.  In  selecting  it  the 
problem  of  heating  must  be  thought  of  in  a  differ- 
ent way  than  as  that  for  merely  summer  use. 
Then  fireplaces  will  amply  suffice  for  the  few  cool 
days  and  chilly  evenings,  and  no  better  method 
could  be  desired.  But  for  the  real  cold  of  winter, 

[62] 


NAWN  FARM 

whether  for  continued  use  or  the  occasional  week- 
end, more  complete  heating  will  need  to  be  pro- 
vided. 

The  cheapest  and  simplest  way  is  undoubtedly 
by  stoves  which  can  be  attached  to  the  fireplace 
flues.  But  this  necessitates  closing  up  the  fire- 
place and  depriving  family  and  guests  of  all  the 
joys  of  the  blazing  logs  which  never  seem  more 
cheerful  and  hospitable  than  in  the  bitterest 
weather.  If  the  house  is  to  be  used  mainly  for 
week-end  parties,  stoves  have  another  serious 
drawback.  They  must  be  kept  oiled  when  not 
in  use,  to  prevent  their  rusting,  and  it  takes  nearly 
two  days  after  the  fire  is  lighted  to  burn  the  oil 
off.  Then,  when  closing  up  the  house  again,  the 
stove  must  be  re-oiled,  and  this  necessitates  putting 
the  fire  out  and  waiting  in  the  cold  house  until 
the  metal  is  sufficiently  cool  to  apply  the  treat- 
ment. 

The  most  adequate  method  is  by  hot  water  or 
steam,  and  for  a  large  country  house  these  are 
really  the  only  practical  ways.  The  expense 
involved  will  depend  upon  the  structure  of  the 
house.  In  a  brick  or  stone  building,  it  will  cost 
a  good  deal  to  have  the  pipes  built  into  the  wall. 
Sometimes  conditions  will  allow  them  to  be  carried 

[63] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

up  in  a  closet  or  partition.  In  a  frame  house 
that  has  been  built  with  deep  window  jambs,  as 
was  so  often  done  in  the  olden  times,  the  pipes 
can  be  hidden  within  this  furred  framework. 
The  great  objection  to  steam  or  hot-water  systems 
in  old  houses,  however,  is  the  presence  of  the 
radiator,  which  never  can  be  made  to  harmonize 
thoroughly  with  the  spirit  of  the  old  building. 
When  it  is  used,  some  attempt  must  be  made  to 
disguise  it.  If  it  can  be  made  long  and  low  and 
placed  in  front  of  a  window,  it  can  be  treated  as 
a  window-seat  with  a  metal  grill  in  front.  For 
houses  of  the  later  Georgian  period,  grills  can  be 
found  whose  designs  are  not  at  all  out  of  keeping 
with  the  other  classical  details.  Sometimes  a 
radiator  can  be  placed  entirely  within  the  furred 
partition,  and  the  heat  admitted  into  the  room 
through  paneled  doors  which  are  thrown  open 
when  it  is  in  use. 

For  small  houses,  the  hot-air  system  is  perhaps 
the  most  desirable.  The  registers  are  inconspicu- 
ous and  bring  no  jarring  note  into  the  old-time 
atmosphere.  The  pipes  require  considerable  over- 
head room  in  the  cellar,  which  sometimes  becomes 
a  hard  problem  in  the  low  foundations  of  old 
houses.  The  fact  that  it  is  difficult  to  drive  the 

[64] 


Rear  View 


The  Living  Room 
NAWN  FARM 


NAWN  FARM 

hot  air  against  the  wind  raises  a  second  objection, 
but  if  the  furnace  is  placed  in  the  corner  of  the 
house  from  which  the  cold  winds  blow,  or  even  a 
second  furnace  is  installed,  the  trouble  will  be 
largely  overcome.  And  there  is  the  great  advan- 
tage, especially  for  a  week-end  house,  that  it  can 
be  started  up  or  left  at  a  moment's  notice  with- 
out trouble  from  water  in  the  pipes  or  danger  of 
freezing  as  in  the  hot-water  systems. 

Whatever  the  method  decided  upon,  it  is  an 
interesting  work  from  start  to  finish.  One  feels 
a  thrill  of  adventure  in  evoking  from  the  home 
of  past  generations  one  for  twentieth-century 
living  with  all  the  comforts  and  appliances  neces- 
sary. But  to  transform  an  old  building  that  has 
never  even  been  intended  for  living  purposes  into 
a  residence  that  is  not  only  comfortable  and 
suited  to  the  owner's  needs  but  an  architectural 
success  as  well,  is  a  still  more  fascinating  problem. 
How  Messrs.  Killam  and  Hopkins  have  accom- 
plished this  with  an  old  barn  at  Dover  and  kept 
the  distinctive  simplicity  and  atmosphere  of  the 
original  building  is  worthy  of  emulation. 

When  Mrs.  Genevieve  Fuller  bought  the  Nawn 
Farm  some  three  years  ago,  it  was  her  intention 
to  alter  the  farmhouse  then  on  the  property. 

[65] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Its  location,  however,  was  not  entirely  favorable; 
the  house  was  on  sloping  ground  in  somewhat  of 
a  hollow  and  too  near  the  public  road.  Besides 
this,  the  rooms  were  small  and  very  much  out  of 
repair.  On  the  crest  of  the  hill  was  the  barn, 
occupying  a  commanding  position  and  framed 
in  splendid  old  trees.  The  structure  was  found 
to  be  so  stanch  that  it  was  decided  to  tear  down 
the  old  house  and  convert  the  barn  into  the  resi- 
dence. 

The  foundations  were  left  unchanged,  and  an 
ell  on  the  north  side  was  added  for  the  service 
portion  of  the  building.  The  supports  and  interior 
divisions  are  all  virtually  unaltered.  The  living 
and  dining  rooms  occupy  the  positions  of  the 
former  mows,  and  the  hall  connecting  them  is  the 
old  passage  for  the  wagons.  Most  of  the  original 
studding  has  been  used  as  it  stood,  and  the  beams 
incased  or  hidden  in  the  finish  of  the  walls.  The 
roof  was  flattened  on  the  top,  and  the  gables  cut 
off,  but  the  slope  was  unaltered.  Wider  eaves 
were  added  at  a  slightly  different  pitch,  softening 
the  lines  of  the  roof. 

Doors  and  windows  were,  of  course,  cut  anew 
to  conform  with  the  different  usage  of  the  build- 
ing. Their  position  was  necessarily  determined 

[66] 


NAWN  FARM 

somewhat  by  the  existing  supports,  but  they  have 
been  very  happily  placed,  whether  in  groups  or 
singly.  Those  of  the  sleeping  rooms  on  the  second 
floor  are  especially  well  handled;  they  are  wide 
and  raised  well  up  under  the  overhanging  roof,  so 
that  they  carry  out  the  broad  low  lines  of  the 
architecture.  The  openings  of  the  sleeping-porches 
have  been  treated  exactly  as  windows,  their 
size  corresponding  with  the  apparent  dimensions 
of  the  windows,  and  their  locations  determined 
by  the  same  factors.  They  become  at  once  an 
integral  part  of  the  structure  instead  of  the  un- 
sightly excrescence  which  the  presence  of  a  sleep- 
ing-porch so  often  proves. 

On  the  first  floor,  the  living-room  occupies 
the  entire  eastern  end,  having  exposures  on  three 
sides.  This  has  been  attractively  finished  in 
gum  wood  stained  a  dark  brown,  and  the  warm 
tones  of  natural  colored  grass-cloth  tone  the  walls. 
An  interesting  treatment  has  been  accorded  the 
fireplace  by  flanking  it  on  either  side  with  a  nook, 
the  outer  walls  of  which  cleverly  conceal  parts 
of  the  old  structure.  In  each  of  the  recesses  is  a 
small  window  above  the  paneling  and  window-seat. 
The  furnishings  of  the  room  are  appropriately 
simple  and  invitingly  comfortable,  suggesting  old- 

[67] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

fashioned  things  adapted  for  modern  uses.  Espe- 
cial interest  is  attached  to  the  fireplace  fittings ; 
they  are  of  hand-forged  iron,  wrought  by  the 
village  blacksmith  after  designs  of  the  owner. 
The  andirons  were  made  from  the  tires  of  old  cart 
wheels,  flattened  and  bent  into  shape  and  curled 
over  at  the  top.  The  wood-box  is  of  flat  strips 
of  iron  interlaced. 

From  one  wing  of  the  hall  ascend  stairs  which 
are  the  faithful  reproduction  of  an  old  Colonial 
design.  The  other  part  of  the  hall,  across  the 
southern  front,  is  so  broad  and  cheerful  with  two 
big  windows  and  two  glass  doors  opening  on  to 
the  sunny  loggia  that  it  has  been  furnished  with  a 
davenport,  tables,  and  chairs  almost  as  a  second 
living-room.  The  woodwork  is  North  Carolina 
pine  stained  brown,  and  the  walls  are  gray. 
•  The  billiard-room  back  of  this^  hall,  with  its 
attractive  alcove  and  fireplace,  is  finished  in 
fumed  oak,  and  the  walls  are  also  gray. 

Perhaps  the  distinction  of  being  the  most  attrac- 
tive room  in  the  house  can  be  accorded  the  din- 
ing-room with  its  Colonial  white  woodwork.  The 
fireplace  and  the  china  closet,  balanced  on  the 
other  side  by  the  door  into  the  pantry,  are  of  excel- 
lent proportions  and  charming  detail.  The  mul- 

[68] 


Two  Views  of  the  Dining   Room 
NAWN  FARM 


The   China   Closet  in  the   Dining   Room 
NAWN  FARM 


NAWN  FARM 

Honed  panes  of  the  china  closet  and  the  treatment 
of  the  moldings  about  the  frame  are  especially 
interesting.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  room  a 
group  of  three  windows  provides  opportunity 
for  an  unusually  delightful  feature  in  the  long 
window-box,  built  by  the  village  carpenter.  Its 
simple,  sturdy  lines  are  worthy  of  notice.  The 
walls  are  papered  in  a  deep  cream,  and  the  greatest 
simplicity  maintained  in  the  furniture  and  dra- 
peries. 

The  service  portion  is  well  arranged  both  for 
convenience  of  labor  and  comfort  of  the  domestics. 
The  basement  laundry  leads  directly  into  a  large 
drying  yard  which  was  the  original  enclosure  for 
the  cows  and  is  surrounded  by  the  same  wall  of 
field  stone. 

Up-stairs  the  rooms  might  be  said  to  be  divided 
into  three  suites,  which  can  be  practically  shut 
off  from  each  other:  each  has  its  own  bath  and 
sleeping-porch.  In  the  group  over  the  living- 
room  there  has  been  an  ingenious  solution  of  the 
structural  conditions.  The  division  of  the  rooms 
made  possible  by  the  old  supports  permitted  a 
dressing-room  to  be  placed  conveniently  between 
the  two  chambers,  but  the  fireplace  added  in 
the  living-room  was  directly  below,  so  that  the 

[69] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

chimney  would  naturally  cut  off  the  outside  wall. 
It  would  have  been  possible  to  construct  a  large 
fireplace  in  the  dressing-room  and  allow  the  light 
to  come  through  the  chambers,  but  the  archi- 
tects evolved  another  scheme.  The  chimney  was 
carried  up  on  one  side,  providing  a  fireplace  for 
one  of  the  chambers,  and  a  second  chimney  was 
built  in  the  opposite  corner  of  the  dressing-room. 
In  the  space  between,  a  window  was  cut,  and  the 
two  flues  joined  directly  over  the  window.  From 
the  outside  of  the  building  this  gives  a  most 
unusual  effect  as  there  is  a  chimney  directly  over 
a  window,  having  no  apparent  support,  or  even 
purpose.  The  lines  of  the  pyramidal  base  con- 
form to  the  slope  of  the  roof. 


[70] 


CHAPTER  VII 

BOULDER   FARM 

THE  remodeling  of  an  old  farmhouse  is  appar- 
ently a  simple  matter;  it  would  at  first  seem 
necessary  only  to  preserve  the  main  lines  and 
characteristics  of  the  original  in  the  alterations 
that  are  required  to  meet  the  conditions  of  modern 
life.  But  when  one  realizes  that  the  less  conspicu- 
ous details  are  also  important,  in  order  to  main- 
tain the  essential  harmony  of  the  whole,  it  be- 
comes a  more  intricate  proposition.  One  cannot 
merely  study  the  details  already  on  the  building 
and  slavishly  copy  them  for  the  new  parts,  be- 
cause frequently  it  will  be  found  that  doors  or 
windows  or  shutters  have  been  added  by  more 
recent  owners  and  are  not  really  in  keeping  with 
the  old  structure  at  all.  In  order  to  reclaim  the 
house,  then,  so  that  it  shall  have  a  consistent  unity 
throughout,  one  must  have  some  understanding 
of  the  evolution  of  these  details. 

There  is  no  more  significant  element  in  these 
old  Colonial  houses  than  the  front  door.  It  was 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

placed  in  the  center  of  the  front  wall  and  formed 
the  unit  of  the  exterior  design.  The  very  early 
doors  were  of  heavy  oak  boards  placed  vertically 
and  fastened  together  with  horizontal  strips. 
These  batten  doors,  as  they  were  called,  were 
made  very  sturdy  and  strong,  in  order  to  resist 
attacks  from  Indians  or  other  marauders.  Often 
they  were  marked  with  an  awl  into  diamond  and 
lozenge  patterns  and  sometimes  studded  with 
hand-wrought  nails.  Not  for  a  good  many  years 
did  the  panel  door  come  into  use.  At  first  it 
was  a  flat  panel,  flush  with  the  sides  of  the  door 
and  separated  from  the  sides  and  top  only  by  a 
small  bead  molding.  This  was  soon  developed 
into  the  flat  sunken  panel,  meeting  the  surround- 
ing wood  with  several  moldings ;  and  then  the 
panels  were  beveled  and  raised  in  the  center,  and 
the  moldings  gradually  became  more  elaborate 
and  delicate  in  outline.  The  early  doors  were 
solid  for  purposes  of  protection,  but  as  the  coun- 
try became  more  settled,  thick  bull's-eye  glass 
was  inserted  into  the  top  horizontal  panel  to  let 
light  into  the  hall.  As  the  interior  plan  was 
changed  in  its  evolution,  the  hall  became  larger, 
and  these  bull's-eyes  did  not  provide  sufficient 
light,  so  the  transom  was  introduced  over  the 

[72] 


BOULDER  FARM 

door.  For  some  time  a  simple  top  light  was 
used,  divided  by  lead  and  then  wooden  muntins. 
Then  side  lights  were  introduced,  and  the  treat-, 
ment  became  more  elaborate  in  the  beautiful 
styles  of  the  later  Georgian  period. 

The  frame  about  the  door  was  at  first  of  flat, 
undecorated  boards,  the  upper  one  resting  on  the 
two  at  the  sides.  Then  these  were  molded  and 
mitered  at  the  corners,  and  later  a  cap  of  heavier 
moldings  was  put  across  the  top.  This  hood 
became  more  and  more  prominent  and  required 
the  use  of  definite  support.  Console  brackets 
were  sometimes  used  but  more  frequently  flat 
pilasters  set  against  the  wall.  These  gradually  be- 
came more  important,  developing  into  the  three- 
quarter  round  and  finally  the  isolated  column. 
The  pediment  and  cornice  were  then  extended 
into  the  open  porch  that  is  one  of  the  splendid 
features  of  the  Georgian  style.  Here  in  cornice 
and  capital  was  a  field  for  the  development  of  all 
the  most  delicate  and  beautiful  motives  of  classic 
carving. 

As  this  door  and  porch  was  the  center  of  the 
design  of  the  exterior,  the  windows  were  grouped 
symmetrically  about  it,  the  same  on  each  side. 
There  were  few  of  them  at  first,  and  they  were 

[73] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

of  rather  small  size.  Casement  windows  were 
the  earliest  kind  used,  and  the  small,  diamond 
panes  were  sunk  in  lead,  as  were  those  made  in 
the  mother  country.  It  is  probable  that  most  of 
these  windows  were  brought  over  from  England 
and  not  constructed  here.  After  1700,  the  sliding 
sash  was  introduced,  dividing  the  windows  hori- 
zontally, and  these  had  wooden  muntins.  It  must 
have  been  considered  a  more  elegant  type  of 
window,  for  it  was  used  in  the  front  of  the  house 
for  a  long  time,  while  the  leaded  casement  was  still 
put  in  rear  windows  for  many  years.  The  early 
wooden  muntins  were  quite  heavy  but  later  became 
nearly  as  delicate  as  the  leaden  ones.  They  divided 
the  sash  horizontally  and  vertically  into  squares. 

The  window  casings,  like  the  door  frames,  were 
at  first  entirely  plain  and  then  had  a  heavier 
band  across  the  top  which  developed  into  a  molded 
cap  or  cornice,  as  at  the  entrance.  When  sliding 
sashes  were  introduced,  the  walls  of  the  houses 
were  not  thick  enough  to  contain  them,  so  the 
frames  and  the  sashes  were  built  on  to  the  out- 
side, frequently  projecting  quite  a  distance.  The 
necessity  for  constructing  them  in  this  way  led 
to  the  deep  jambs  and  sills  which  are  such  a 
charming  characteristic  of  the  Colonial  style. 

[74l 


> 


< 

Jj-l 

BJ 

- 
D 


O 

oa 


The  Front  Doorway 
BOULDER  FARM 


BOULDER  FARM 

Shutters  were  used  on  the  outside  of  the  house 
as  a  means  of  protection  from  the  Indians,  when 
the  country  was  being  settled,  and  these  were 
made  of  heavy,  battened  wood  three  or  four  inches 
thick,  like  the  doors.  Subsequently  a  small  dia- 
mond was  cut  in  the  top  to  admit  some  light  when 
the  shutter  was  closed.  Then  a  shutter  with  a 
solid  upper  and  lower  panel  was  used,  and  finally 
these  panels  were  replaced  with  slats. 

There  was  one  other  part  of  the  exterior  which 
developed  interesting  characteristics  to  be  ob- 
served in  the  remodeling :  that  is,  the  cornice  of 
the  roof.  This  was  merely  the  overhang  in  the 
early  buildings  and  sometimes  consisted  of  the 
framing  beam  actually  exposed.  In  the  Georgian 
houses,  this  was  boxed  and  later  elaborated  with 
splendid  carvings  that  deserve  perpetuation  in 
more  lasting  material  than  wood.  There  was  no 
gutter  for  rain-water,  and  the  drip  from  the  eaves 
was  caught  on  flagstones  on  the  ground  at  the 
corners  of  the  house.  This  detail,  although  not 
needed  with  modern  gutters  and  rain  pipes,  gives 
a  charming  old-time  touch  when  retained  in  the 
remodeled  home. 

It  is  by  attention  to  such  seemingly  insignifi- 
cant points  that  the  atmosphere  of  the  original 

[751 


buildings  has  been  consistently  retained  in  so  many 
cases.  An  excellent  instance  of  how  this  has 
been  done  may  be  seen  in  a  late  Georgian  type  of 
farmhouse  that  stands  somewhat  back  from  the 
old  Londonderry  turnpike  on  an  estate  at  Hopkin- 
ton,  New  Hampshire.  Although  it  is  not  very 
old,  having  been  built  in  1820,  it  is  typical  of  the 
better  class  of  simple  home  in  the  early  days  of 
the  Republic. 

The  history  of  the  building  of  this  old  house  is 
rather  interesting.  In  the  days  when  lotteries 
were  still  in  flourishing  condition,  and  some  of 
the  best  men  in  the  community  were  interesting 
themselves  in  the  various  schemes,  a  member  of 
one  of  the  churches  induced  Deacon  Philip  Brown's 
hired  man  to  purchase  a  ticket  for  a  paltry  sum. 
Repenting  his  investment,  he  afterwards  sold 
it  to  his  employer,  who  was  a  clever  silversmith 
and  clock-maker,  much  respected  and  well  known 
in  the  community  through  his  yearly  rounds 
about  Hopkinton  to  repair  the  clocks  of  the 
farmers.  The  ticket  proved  to  be  the  winning 
one,  that  drew  a  great  prize.  With  part  of  this 
money,  Deacon  Brown  purchased  the  old  "  Boulder 
Farm,"  as  it  was  called  from  a  great  rock  that 
still  stands  in  an  open  field  just  south  of  the  house. 

[76] 


BOULDER  FARM 

Here  he  erected  the  Georgian  farmhouse  that  is 
standing  to-day.  The  rest  of  the  money,  so  the 
legend  runs,  he  buried  somewhere  in  the  field,  but 
he  probably  removed  it  later,  as  it  has  never  been 
found. 

He  placed  the  house  on  rising  land,  a  short 
distance  from  the  broad  highway,  built  in  the  same 
year  and  for  a  long  time  the  straight  thoroughfare 
from  Londonderry  to  Concord  and  Boston.  Dea- 
con Brown  lived  on  the  estate  until  1846,  with 
the  exception  of  the  year  1830,  when  it  was  occu- 
pied by  Governor  Matthew  Harvey  of  New 
Hampshire.  The  property,  placed  on  the  market, 
then  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  man  named  Kelly, 
brother-in-law  to  Grace  Fletcher,  the  first  wife 
of  Daniel  Webster.  During  his  life,  the  great 
American  statesman  often  visited  there.  What 
happened  during  the  period  between  this  occu- 
pancy and  the  time  of  its  purchase  by  Mr.  Harry 
Dudley  of  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  is  not 
recorded,  but  we  can  be  confident  that  the  house 
had  careful  treatment  from  its  state  of  preserva- 
tion. 

It  was  while  Mr.  Dudley  was  looking  around 
for  a  home  with  ample  grounds,  and  near  enough 
to  his  business  to  allow  him  to  go  back  and  forth 

[77] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

every  day,  that  he  discovered  this  historic  place. 
Its  attractiveness  and  the  healthfulness  of  the 
surroundings  appealed  to  him.  Very  little  was 
needed  to  bring  the  house  back  to  good  condition 
and  make  it  habitable.  The  land  was  attractive 
and  could  be  improved.  In  front  of  the  house 
was  a  wide  stretch  of  meadow  that  was  easily 
terraced  to  meet  the  boundary  line.  To  the  many 
old  trees  shading  the  house  and  lawn  were  added 
young  trees  to  replace  some  of  the  ancient  ones 
that  were  dying. 

Although  the  house  was  a  model  type  of  the 
architecture  of  its  day,  and  there  had  been  abun- 
dant room  for  the  old-time  residents,  modern 
ways  of  living  demanded  additional  space.  A 
long  ell,  built  at  the  rear  for  the  service  depart- 
ment, and  a  wide  veranda  in  dignified  Colonial 
style  along  one  side  were  the  two  main  exterior 
alterations.  The  appearance  of  the  windows  was 
changed  by  putting  in  larger  panes  in  order  to 
admit  more  light,  but  they  were  still  in  keeping 
with  the  old-time  atmosphere.  The  reshingling 
and  repainting  of  the  house  and  the  addition  of 
the  trellises  at  one  side  completed  the  exterior 
improvements.  The  splendid  front  entrance 
porch  with  its  graceful  fanlight,  Doric  columns, 

[78] 


The  Hall 
BOULDER  FARM 


The  Den 


The  Parlor 
BOULDER  FARM 


BOULDER  FARM 

and  straight  cornice,  and  the  equally  interesting 
though  less  imposing  side  porch  were  left  prac- 
tically unchanged.  The  old  blinds  were  restored, 
to  give  the  stately,  old-time  atmosphere  to  the 
mansion. 

The  new  veranda  is  wide  and  extends  along  the 
whole  side  of  the  house.  Its  flat  roof  rests  on 
coupled  Doric  columns  that  carry  out  the  classi- 
cal Georgian  detail  of  the  entrance  porch;  the 
second  story  is  finished  with  a  simple  balustrade, 
in  keeping  with  the  fine  simplicity  of  the  main 
lines.  During  the  summer  months  this  broad 
piazza  is  a  delightful  out-of-door  living-room, 
from  which  there  is  a  splendid  view  over  the  green 
country ;  and  one  can,  in  imagination,  picture  the 
old  stage-coaches  of  former  days  lumbering  by  on 
the  highroad.  The  upper  part  of  the  veranda 
opening  from  the  chambers  on  that  side  of  the 
house  is  used  as  a  sleeping-porch. 

The  path  that  leads  to  the  main  entrance 
passes  through  a  wicket  gate  and  ascends  the  ter- 
race over  stone  steps  to  the  granite  block  before 
the  door.  The  pleasant  formality  of  this  porch 
is  accentuated  by  two  close-clipped  bay  trees, 
one  on  either  side  of  the  step. 

This  door  opens  directly  into  the  hall  and  faces 

[791 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

the  long,  straight  flight  of  stairs  which  reaches 
the  second  floor  without  a  turn.  The  woodwork 
of  these  stairs  is  particularly  nice  in  proportion 
and  line;  and  the  carving  under  the  ends  of  the 
steps,  in  a  simple  but  beautiful  scroll  design,  is 
most  interesting.  The  hand-rail  is  mahogany, 
and  the  molding  which  follows  it  on  the  wall  side 
above  the  wainscoting  is  also  mahogany. 

In  the  parlor  at  the  left  no  innovation  has  been 
introduced,  and  it  remains  almost  as  when  the 
house  was  built.  There  we  find  the  old  white 
wainscoting  unpaneled,  with  a  fine  carved  mold- 
ing defining  the  top.  The  windows,  recessed  in 
the  Colonial  style,  retain  their  original  inside 
shutters  that  are  still  used.  It  is  unusual  to  find 
these  to-day,  for  in  remodeling  houses  the  shutters 
are  almost  always  removed  in  favor  of  more  mod- 
ern conveniences.  Shutters  were  formerly  used 
as  we  now  employ  curtains,  to  be  closed  at  night- 
fall or  to  shut  out  light  and  cold.  The  fireplace 
in  this  room  is  a  fine  example  of  Colonial  work. 
It  shows  a  central  medallion  of  a  plentifully  filled 
fruit  basket  and  wheat  sheaves  over  the  fluted 
side  columns ;  the  edge  of  the  mantel  shelf  has  an 
unusual  ball  and  string  ornamentation  finely 
carved.  The  wall-paper  dates  back  to  the  time 

[80] 


BOULDER  FARM 

of  the  fireplace.  It  shows  a  Grecian  pastoral  de- 
sign in  shades  of  brown,  yellow,  and  old  rose  and 
was  hand-printed  from  blocks  made  in  England. 
Through  all  these  years  it  has  retained  its  bright- 
ness, escaping  the  hands  of  time,  and  lends  a 
charming  and  quaint  atmosphere  to  this  room. 
All  of  the  movable  furnishings  are  equally  well  in 
keeping;  the  slat-back  chairs  and  tables  con- 
form to  the  spirit  of  the  period,  as  does  the  fine 
old  Empire  mirror,  resting  on  its  rosettes. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  from  the  parlor 
is  the  living-room.  This  is  similar  in  character, 
with  a  fireplace  only  slightly  less  interesting. 
It  has  the  same  old  white  wainscoting,  but  the 
upper  walls  have  been  covered  with  a  modern 
foliage  paper  which,  strangely  enough,  blends 
harmoniously  with  the  setting  of  the  room.  It 
is  furnished  with  eighteenth-century  pieces  corre- 
sponding to  those  in  the  other  parts  of  the  house. 

At  the  end  of  the  hall  is  the  dining-room,  reached 
through  an  open  arch.  The  old  wall  and  door 
here  were  cut  away  in  the  remodeling  to  produce 
an  impression  of  spaciousness  and  give  a  vista 
from  the  entrance  clear  through  the  house  and 
into  the  garden  at  the  rear.  The  arch  was  added 
to  finish  the  opening,  but  it  conforms  carefully 

[81] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

to  the  details  found  in  the  architecture  .of  that 
day.  This  room  was  originally  divided,  and  one 
part  used  as  a  kitchen,  but  the  partition  was  re- 
moved and  the  two  thrown  into  one,  making  a  long 
dining-room  which  occupies  the  greater  part  of 
the  rear  of  the  house.  At  the  end,  the  old  single 
window  was  enlarged,  and  two  smaller  ones  cut 
through  on  either  side  to  make  a  delightful  sunny 
group  which  adds  materially  to  the  charm  of  the 
room.  In  the  fireplace,  which  was  the  original 
old  kitchen  one,  used  for  cooking  and  baking, 
the  brick  oven  was  removed  to  admit  the  intro- 
duction of  a  door  opening  into  the  living-room. 
Otherwise  it  was  left  unchanged,  and  the  white 
painted  woodwork  about  it,  although  simple  and 
unpretentious,  is  beautifully  proportioned.  The 
old  flint-lock  and  warming-pan  which  hang  there 
pleasantly  emphasize  the  Colonial  idea.  The 
wall-paper  is  a  reproduction  of  a  Colonial  block 
pattern  in  soft  shades  of  gray  and  green.  The 
floors  in  this  room,  as  all  over  the  house,  are 
covered  with  matting  laid  over  the  original  boards, 
which  were  found  to  be  in  too  bad  a  condition  to 
restore ;  entirely  new  ones  would  have  been  neces- 
sitated had  bare,  polished  floors  been  demanded. 
At  the  end  of  the  dining-room,  opposite  the 

[82] 


BOULDER  FARM 

triple  window,  a  door  leads  into  a  small  room 
which  is  used  as  a  den.  This  retains  the  old 
fireplace  opening  from  the  same  chimney  and 
directly  back  of  that  in  the  parlor.  The  walls 
have  been  papered  in  a  plain  green  and  are  spar- 
ingly decorated  with  sporting  prints  and  trophies 
suggestive  of  the  hunt  and  the  master's  particu- 
lar domain.  Doors  lead  from  this  room  not  only 
into  the  dining-room,  but  to  the  parlor  and  the 
veranda  at  the  side. 

The  ell  of  the  house,  opening  from  the  dining- 
room,  is  devoted  to  butler's  pantry,  kitchen, 
servants'  dining-room,  and  servants'  chambers  on 
the  second  floor. 

The  upper  story  of  the  main  part  of  the  house 
has  been  kept  almost  as  when  it  was  built,  and  the 
large  square  chambers  are  well-lighted  and  airy. 
The  open  fireplaces  and  the  Colonial  furniture, 
four-posters  and  highboys  and  chests,  give  to  the 
rooms  a  delightfully  old-fashioned  atmosphere. 

The  whole  house  is  a  fine  example  of  late  Geor- 
gian architecture,  preserved  in  all  its  interesting 
detail. 


[83] 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THREE   ACRES 

FEW  people  realize  how  much  thought  should 
be  put  into  the  remodeling  of  a  farmhouse,  and 
many  fail  to  keep  the  simple  country  atmos- 
phere; they  endeavor  to  establish  in  suburban 
surroundings  a  home  that  is  better  suited  to  city 
life.  A  house  reclaimed  in  this  way  is  neces- 
sarily a  misfit  and  must  always  seem  inharmonious 
in  its  setting.  It  never  carries  out  the  idea  for 
which  we  are  striving  :  that  a  house  should  be 
typical  of  the  life  of  the  people  who  live  in  it. 
It  should  express  individuality,  be  a  house  to  live 
in,  to  grow  in,  to  become  identified  with  your 
life;  this  is  a  most  important  fact  that  cannot 
be  too  carefully  observed,  and  it  becomes  all  the 
more  essential  if  the  home  is  to  be  an  all-the-year- 
round  one  and  not  merely  a  summer  residence 
where  but  a  few  months  are  passed. 

To-day  it  is  a  far  more  difficult  matter  to  se- 
lect an  old  farmhouse  of  sufficient  distinction  to 
remodel  than  it  was  even  ten  years  ago.  The 

[84] 


Two  Views  of  the   Dining   Room 
BOULDER  FARM 


THREE  ACRES,  FROM  THE  MAIN  ROAD 


THREE  ACRES 

most  desirable  ones  have  already  been  bought, 
since  the  pleasures  of  living  in  the  country  have 
been  realized  by  so  many  former  dwellers  in  the 
city.  There  are  many  personal  matters  to  be 
thought  of  in  the  selection  of  a  house  for  remodel- 
ing ;  one  must  consider  his  individual  needs  in  its 
relation  to  his  daily  pursuits.  The  business  man 
must  select  a  house  near  enough  to  the  city  to 
allow  traveling  back  and  forth  every  day ;  but  the 
man  whose  occupation  does  not  require  city  life^ 
during  the  time  he  wishes  to  be  in  the  country  can 
establish  himself  wherever  he  chooses.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  the  latter  is  able  to  find  a  far  better 
farmhouse,  for  he  can  go  farther  away,  where  the 
best  types  have  not  been  reclaimed,  owing  to  their 
distances  from  the  large  cities. 

It  is  to  be  taken  for  granted  that  a  person  has 
a  definite  purpose  when  he  leaves  the  city  for  a 
country  existence,  and  it  is  necessary  that  he 
educate  himself  to  the  point  where  he  makes  his 
ideas  practical.  This  cannot  be  done  without 
study  beforehand.  In  making  a  house  suit  indi- 
vidual requirements,  one  must  follow  along  its 
own  lines.  Do  not  attempt  to  transplant  into  it 
features  from  some  other  house  you  admire.  An 
Elizabethan  gable  or  a  craftsman  living-room 

[85) 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

may  have  been  very  interesting  in  the  friends' 
houses  in  which  you  saw  them,  but  they  would 
be  quite  out  of  place  thrust  into  a  Colonial  farm- 
house. If  you  have  a  real  need  for  the  features 
that  you  find  in  some  other  house,  you  should 
adapt  them  to  the  spirit  of  the  building  you  are 
remodeling. 

If  it  cannot  be  made  to  harmonize  with  the 
other  motives,  it  is  possible  that  you  are  attempt- 
ing to  make  a  home  out  of  a  building  that  is  not 
suited  to  your  style  of  life.  But  it  is  because 
these  Colonial  farmhouses  meet  the  requirements 
of  the  average  American  families  so  adequately 
that  they  are  so  interesting  to  remodel.  Each 
house  owner  must  decide  for  himself  what  is  the 
main  element  in  his  existence  and  reclaim  the 
house  accordingly.  In  one  family,  the  interests 
will  be  entirely  domestic;  another  household 
will  live  in  the  open,  occupied  with  sports ;  an- 
other devotes  much  time  to  music ;  and  there  are 
still  others  who  are  absorbed  in  some  special  craft 
or  work  that  will  require  definite  accommoda- 
tions. In  many  cases  the  house  can  readily  be 
adapted  to  these  particular  requirements  with- 
out any  essential  change  in  its  atmosphere.  The 
success  that  is  achieved  by  working  with  these 

[86] 


THREE  ACRES 

old-time  elements  is  due  to  their  sincerity  and 
honesty  in  solving  the  problems  of  their  own  day 
and  age;  they  are  the  results  of  actual  and  real 
experience,  and  we  know  no  better  ways  to  meet 
the  same  conditions.  So  that  when  we  have  the 
same  problems  confronting  us,  we  cannot  do  better 
than  accept  the  successful  results  of  others'  experi- 
ments. 

This  does  not  mean  a  slavish  copying  of  the  old 
in  restoration;  to  simply  imitate  old  elements 
would  be  neither  interesting  nor  commendable, 
except  for  the  purposes  of  a  museum.  Each 
style  is  based  upon  some  fundamental  principle, 
and  it  should  be  our  aim  to  work  with  the  under- 
lying idea  of  creating  that  which  will  best  meet 
our  special  needs,  not  merely  to  reproduce  the 
old  in  imitation  of  itself. 

Nature  lends  itself  to  the  remodeling  and 
suggests  many  ideas  that  help  to  identify  the 
house  with  the  personality  of  its  owner.  Every- 
thing attempted  in  the  way  of  improvements 
can  be  broad  and  expansive  and  not  congested, 
as  would  be  necessary  in  the  city.  You  should 
in  every  particular  make  the  house  grow  to  fit 
the  surroundings  and  do  it  in  such  a  way  that  it 
will  seem  to  have  been  so  always.  Often  the 

[87] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

house  has  to  be  moved  on  its  foundations  to  meet 
this  need,  but  that  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to 
accomplish,  if  the  timbers  are  stanch  and  the 
underpinning  steady. 

If  the  owner's  ideas  are  carried  out,  the  house 
in  its  finished  condition  will  be  but  an  expression 
of  his  taste  and  understanding.  In  it  we  will 
be  able  to  read  his  likes  and  dislikes.  Unity 
should  be  the  keynote  of  it  all  and  should  per- 
meate not  only  the  house  itself  in  all  its  details, 
but  its  gardens,  lawns,  stables,  and  every  aspect  of 
the  estate. 

There  is  a  house  that  has  been  given  rare  indi- 
viduality in  this  way  at  Duxbury,  Massachusetts. 
As  one  drives  along  the  picturesque  country  road, 
he  comes  to  a  winding  lane  that  leads  by  graceful 
turns  to  a  little  brown  farmhouse  situated  on  the 
crest  of  a  hill  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
main  road.  If  the  farmhouse  alone  is  attractive, 
how  much  more  so  is  it  made  by  the  entrance,  for 
on  either  side  are  graceful  elms  that  form  an  arch- 
way, disclosing  the  house  beyond  like  a  picture 
set  in  a  rustic  frame.  On  either  side  of  the  road- 
way one  finds  meadow  lands  and  flower  and  vege- 
table gardens,  everywhere  dotted  with  graceful 
trees  and  the  picturesque  sumach.  Vines  clamber 

[88] 


THREE  ACRES 

over  the  stone  walls,  partly  hiding  their  rough- 
ness and  giving  their  homelike  atmosphere  to  the 
grounds.  There  are  just  three  acres  in  this  little 
property,  bounded  on  two  sides  by  delightful 
woodlands  and  on  the  others  by  rolling  farmland 
and  pastures ;  but  there  is  room  in  even  these 
small  confines  for  a  garden  to  supply  the  table 
all  the  year  round  and  a  bit  of  orchard  where  the 
gnarled  old  apple-trees  are  still  fruitful. 

Originally  the  old  farmhouse  was  in  a  most 
unprepossessing  condition.  It  had  been  inhabited 
for  many  years  by  farmer  folk  who  took  little 
pains  with  its  appea'rance  either  without  or  within. 
When  Mrs.  Josephine  Hartwell  Shaw,  of  Boston, 
was  searching  for  a  country  seat  where  she  could 
pursue  her  occupation  away  from  the  bustle  of 
city  life  and  unmolested  by  chance  guests,  she  was 
attracted  first  of  all  to  the  quiet  little  town  by  the 
name  of  Duxbury.  As  she  looked  about  for  a 
suitable  house,  she  was  charmed  with  the  location 
of  this  weather-beaten  old  building,  and  closer 
examination  proved  it  well  worth  reclaiming,  both 
from  an  artist's  point  of  view  and  from  that  of 
her  own  individual  requirements. 

Like  many  of  the  farmhouses  in  eastern  Massa- 
chusetts, it  had  that  peculiar  beauty  which 

[89] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

consisted  largely  in  its  simple  and  straightforward 
solution  of  the  problems  at  hand.  It  was  not  the 
creation  of  a  master  architect  but  of  ordinary 
builders  and  craftsmen  following  the  traditions  of 
their  fathers,  varied  by  the  restrictions  of  local 
material  and  newer  requirements.  It  is  this 
rugged  and  sturdy  simplicity  that  gives  to  it  an 
enduring  charm;  it  was  the  very  lack  of  a  set 
style  that  gave  to  the  remodeling  of  it  an  unfail- 
ing zest,  increased  by  the  very  difficulty  of  the 
experiment  that  might  result  in  a  woeful  failure 
or  a  great  success.  In  dealing  with  houses  such 
as  this,  it  is  impossible  for  the  architect  to  rely  on 
any  formula  or  book  of  rules  to  direct  him  in  a 
correct  restoration.  It  requires  a  much  deeper 
study  and  an  understanding  of  the  problems  that 
confronted  the  builder  in  erecting  the  structure 
and  the  conditions  under  which  he  worked.  It  is 
then  that  the  spirit  of  the  old  house  will  be  mani- 
fest, and  its  adaptation  to  modern  requirements 
will  be  but  the  thought  of  former  years  revised 
to  meet  present  needs. 

There  are  few  buildings  that  can  claim  a  more 
sympathetic  handling  in  their  restoration  than 
this  early,  pre-Georgian  farmhouse,  which  is 
called  Three  Acres.  The  excellent  line  of  the 

[90] 


3G 

h 


THREE  ACRES 

wide,  gabled  roof,  broken  by  a  succession  of  out- 
buildings, forms  an  unusually  attractive  picture, 
with  the  weather-stained  shingles  softened  against 
a  background  of  oak  and  pine  trees.  The  house 
now  faces  away  from  the  main  road  and  fronts 
upon  a  wooded  slope  that  falls  sharply  down  to 
the  shores  of  a  picturesque  little  pond.  This  is 
partly  hidden  by  dense  woods  that  form  a  back- 
ground and  a  windbreak  for  the  house.  Formerly 
the  public  road  went  along  here  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  front  of  the  house,  but  it  has  been  aban- 
doned for  the  broader  highway  in  the  rear,  and 
only  the  vaguest  traces  of  it  remain  to-day. 

The  building  was  a  two-story,  shingled  struc- 
ture with  an  uncompromising  squareness  about  it. 
The  wide,  gable  roof  sloped  down  to  the  stud  of 
the  first  floor,  giving  but  little  room  in  the  cham- 
bers above.  It  was  of  the  central  chimney  type. 
In  the  rear,  a  small,  gable-roofed  ell  had  been 
added,  and  later  still  a  flat-roofed  shed  at  right 
angles  to  the  ell,  or  parallel  to  the  main  house, 
was  built.  In  still  a  third  addition,  a  well  was 
incorporated  in  the  rear,  under  a  continuation  of 
the  roof  of  the  shed,  and  another  small  outhouse 
in  an  extension  to  the  side.  This  seeming  con- 
glomeration of  roofs  in  reality  made  a  rather  in- 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

teresting  and  graceful  play  of  line  that  lifted  the 
little  house  from  commonplaceness. 

It  was  found  to  be  in  such  good  condition  on 
the  exterior  that  little  repairing  was  needed,  but 
several  alterations  were  made,  adding  both  to  the 
character  of  the  building  and  the  comfort  of  the 
occupants.  The  original  front  door  opened  very 
abruptly  upon  the  stairs,  leaving  only  enough 
hall  space  to  open  the  door.  This  was  remedied 
by  the  addition  of  a  small,  flat-roofed  bay  at  the 
front,  increasing  the  space  in  the  hall  by  just  that 
much.  The  old  door  with  its  bull's-eyes  was 
used  in  the  new  position.  The  step  before  it 
was  protected  under  the  same  roof,  supported  on 
two,  small,  square  posts  and  a  trellis  at  the  sides, 
giving  somewhat  the  effect  of  an  old-time  Colonial 
porch  and  serving  not  only  the  material  purpose 
of  adding  room  to  the  interior  but  of  relieving  the 
abrupt  and  uninteresting  severity  of  the  front 
lines.  In  the  second  story,  unusually  successful 
dormers  were  cut  in  both  the  back  and  front  pitch 
of  the  roof.  The  plan  of  these  dormers  deserves 
especial  study,  as  each  group  is  in  reality  com- 
posed of  three  separate  dormers,  enlarging  three 
rooms  in  the  interior,  but  confined  under  the  one 
flat  roof.  Note,  too,  how  each  end  of  the  dormer 

[92] 


THREE  ACRES 

extends  beyond  the  middle  portion,  and  how  the 
shape  of  the  windows  accents  the  design.  1 

A  new  entrance  was  cut  at  the  side  toward  the 
lane,  and  a  screened  veranda  added,  with  a  flat 
roof  corresponding  to  that  at  the  front.  Several 
new  windows  were  made  necessary  by  the  rear- 
rangements in  the  interior,  but  they  were  placed 
with  careful  regard  to  the  exterior  proportion 
and  balance.  The  glass  used  in  the  old  windows 
when  the  house  was  bought  was  all  the  full  size  of 
the  sashes,  doubtless  having  been  put  there  by  some 
recent  owner  and  seeming  quite  out  of  harmony  with 
the  details  of  the  house ;  consequently  they  were  re- 
placed with  small  panes,  twenty-four  to  a  window, 
and  the  new  windows  were  all  of  the  casement  type. 

The  interior  of  the  house  with  its  ugly  paint 
and  paper,  presented  a  rather  hopeless  appearance, 
that  only  a  vivid  imagination  and  an  unwavering 
enthusiasm  could  have  transformed  into  the  at- 
tractive home  that  it  is  to-day.  Beginning  at 
the  front,  the  cramped  little  hall  was  enlarged  as 
has  already  been  explained.  This  made  a  trifle 
more  stair  room,  and  the  first  seven  steps  reach- 
ing to  the  little  landing  were  rebuilt  with  lower 
risers  and  broader  treads  that  made  ascent  to  the 
second  floor  a  less  arduous  matter. 

[93] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

On  the  left  of  the  hall  was  the  living-room,  on 
the  right  a  bedroom,  and  in  the  rear  of  the  house 
the  room  originally  designed  for  the  kitchen; 
in  each  of  these  was  a  fireplace  opening  out  of  the 
one  central  chimney. 

The  first  step  in  the  restoration  consisted  of 
tearing  off  the  many  layers  of  hideous  wall-paper, 
removing  the  plaster  where  it  was  crumbling,  and 
scraping  the  woodwork  free  from  its  dingy  paint. 
In  these  operations  a  number  of  unexpected  dis- 
coveries were  made  concerning  the  fine  old  panel- 
ing and  great,  hand-hewn  beams  that  had  been 
entirely  covered  up. 

The  only  change  made  in  the  plan  of  this  floor 
was  in  the  corner  beyond  the  living-room  and  at 
the  end  of  the  kitchen.  This  was  originally 
divided  into  a  tiny  chamber  opening  from  the 
living-room,  and  a  pantry  off  the  kitchen.  These 
were  thrown  into  one,  and  the  openings  to  living- 
room  and  kitchen  enlarged.  The  former  bed- 
room window  was  changed  to  a  door  leading  on 
to  the  screened  veranda,  and  an  attractive  group 
of  three  casement  windows  replaced  the  one  in 
the  rear  wall,  overlooking  the  charming  vista  of 
winding  lane  and  old  apple-trees  and  meadows 
beyond.  This  little  apartment  has  been  treated 

[94] 


A   Corner  of  the  Living  Room 
THREE    ACRES 


The  Living  Room 


The  Dining  Room 
THREE  ACRES 


THREE  ACRES 

as  a  sort  of  anteroom  or  really  a  wing  of  the 
living-room,  and  wall  finish,  paint,  and  furnish- 
ings all  harmonize. 

In  the  living-room  the  fireplace  holds  the  center 
of  attention.  It  is  faced  with  queer  old  Spanish 
tiles  inserted  at  intervals  in  plain  cement,  the  rich 
colorings  of  which  give  a  quaintly  exotic  air  to 
the  fine  white  woodwork.  The  moldings  about 
the  frame  and  over  the  mantel  are  unusually  fine 
for  this  type  of  house;  the  support  of  the  heavy 
mantel  shelf  and  the  carved  dentils  in  the  ceiling 
cornice  are  especially  interesting.  At  the  right 
of  the  fireplace  is  a  cupboard  with  an  upper  and 
lower  door,  in  the  old-time  fashion;  the  upper 
one  has  small,  square,  mullioned  panes  of  glass 
which  disclose  some  attractive  pieces  of  old  china 
and  silver. 

In  the  kitchen,  which  was  turned  into  the  dining- 
room,  the  old  fireplace  had  been  bricked  up  to 
receive  a  stovepipe,  and  the  woodwork  had  been 
plastered  over  and  papered.  The  fireplace  was 
opened  up  to  its  original  size,  large  enough  to 
accommodate  a  six-foot  log,  and  in  refacing  it,  the 
old,  blackened,  fire-burned  bricks  were  used  with 
delightful  effect.  The  paneling  about  it  is  very 
simple,  but  the  proportions  are  interesting,  and 

[951 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

the  quaint,  double-panel  cupboards  on  each  side 
lend  the  whole  an  insistent  charm.  The  two, 
great,  hand-hewn  beams  in  the  ceiling  have  been 
left  exposed,  and  the  fact  that  they  have  settled 
a  little  on  their  supports,  sagging  toward  one  end, 
only  adds  to  the  effect,  just  as  the  unevenness  of 
a  hand-drawn  line  is  more  beautiful  than  the 
accuracy  of  one  ruled. 

These  three  rooms  opening  so  closely  into  each 
other  have  been  treated  so  that  there  is  a  har- 
monious and  striking  vista  from  every  point. 
The  walls  are  covered  with  a  soft,  creamy  gray, 
and  the  hangings  of  Russian  crash  are  of  the  same 
tone.  The  color  is  supplied  in  fireplaces,  rugs, 
books,  pictures,  and  such  ornaments.  In  the 
dining-room,  there  has  been  a  slight  accent  of 
blue  and  rose  in  rug  and  table  runner  and  candle- 
shades.  In  the  living-room  the  deep  green  of  the 
upholstery  carries  the  strongest  note.  The  char- 
acteristically old-time  furniture,  with  a  pleasant 
mingling  of  Dutch  and  English  and  American 
motifs  of  the  eighteenth  century,  has  been  ar- 
ranged with  studied  care  to  preserve  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  open  vistas  from  room  to  room. 

The  entrance  hall  completes  a  delightful  picture 
from  the  living-room;  the  soft  gray  colors  of  a 

[96] 


THREE  ACRES 

lovely  Japanese  paper  blend  strikingly  with  tiny 
curtains  of  a  wonderfully  fresh  old  blue  at  the 
casement  windows.  The  rag  carpet  carries  this 
same  blue  up  the  white  stairs  to  the  second  floor. 

The  rooms  on  the  right  of  the  lower  hallway 
have  been  kept  nearly  in  their  original  state 
with  the  addition  of  fresh  paint  and  attractive 
papers.  They  form  a  small  suite  of  a  study  and 
bedroom,  seeming  quite  apart  from  the  rest  of 
the  house. 

On  the  second  floor,  a  refreshing  simplicity  has 
been  observed  in  the  bedrooms.  The  dormers 
that  have  been  cut  in  the  roof  add  not  only  to 
their  comfort  but  provide  charming  little  bays  and 
alcoves,  giving  unexpected  opportunities  for  in- 
teresting furnishings.  Quaint,  old-time  papers 
and  hangings  and  coverlets  on  the  four-poster 
beds,  matched  in  rugs  and  cushions  and  candle- 
shades,  contrast  gaily  with  the  spotless  white 
paint.  Considerable  ingenuity  has  been  necessary 
in  planning  this  floor,  as  the  original  rooms  were 
so  tiny  and  space  so  very  limited  under  the  long 
slopes  of  the  roof.  The  dormers  gave  the  much 
needed  increase  in  the  size  of  the  chambers,  and 
part  of  the  rear  one  was  converted  into  the  bath- 
room. 

[97] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

In  the  ell  and  shed  at  the  rear  of  the  house, 
perhaps  the  most  interesting  feature  of  all  is 
situated.  A  step  lower  than  the  dining-room 
and  reached  through  swinging  French  doors  of 
glass,  is  the  little  kitchen  which  has  been  fitted 
up  in  a  most  compact  way.  An  additional 
window  has  been  cut  at  the  side  to  provide  both 
light  and  air,  and  an  outside  door  gives  access  to 
the  small  court  on  the  far  side  of  the  house  be- 
tween the  main  building  and  the  rear  shed.  This 
has  been  turned  into  a  miniature  old-fashioned 
garden,  where  it  is  pleasant  to  sit  among  the 
flowers. 

Back  of  the  kitchen  is  the  laundry  and  an  old 
well,  which  has  been  drained  and  is  now  used  as 
a  cooling  cellar,  and  the  wire  basket  containing 
meats  and  milk  and  butter  is  drawn  up  and  down 
on  the  old  crank.  Beyond  this,  the  old  wood  and 
coal  shed  has  been  transformed  into  the  studio. 
Here  Mrs.  Shaw  designs  all  her  beautiful  jewelry 
work  at  the  long  work-table  across  the  rear  under 
the  four  long  windows.  Opening  from  it  is  a 
tiny  little  apartment  used  as  an  office,  and  here 
at  a  quaint  desk,  the  designs  for  the  metal  work 
are  sketched  out,  and  the  correspondence  con- 
nected with  the  business  end  transacted. 

[98] 


THREE  ACRES 

In  the  adaptation  of  the  outbuildings  to  the 
special  and  unusual  requirements  of  the  owner, 
an  excellent  example  is  given  to  others  who  have 
individual  hobbies  such  as  this  to  accommodate. 
But  throughout  the  building  the  needs  and  the 
personality  of  the  owner  have  been  as  carefully  if 
not  as  ostensibly  expressed.  There  has  been  no 
thought  of  comfort  or  of  service  sacrificed  in  the 
effort  to  revive  the  atmosphere  of  the  past,  but 
rather  has  that  very  simplicity  and  straight- 
forwardness been  utilized  to  banish  all  that  might 
complicate  entire  convenience.  The  personality 
of  the  owner  has  been  interwoven  into  every 
detail,  and  shows  nowhere  more  strongly  than  in 
the  preservation  of  all  the  delightful  vagaries  and 
unevenness  of  hand  work  played  upon  and  mel- 
lowed by  time. 


[99] 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE 

THE  prospective  house  owner  generally  has 
little  or  no  idea  of  how  to  go  about  designing  his 
own  home.  If  he  chances  to  see  some  other  house 
that  strikes  his  fancy,  he  realizes  that  it  approaches, 
at  least  in  part,  what  he  has  in  mind.  How  to 
accomplish  his  desire,  however,  he  has  no  definite 
knowledge.  He  hesitates  to  call  in  an  architect 
who  is  a  stranger  to  him  and  knows  nothing  of  his 
needs  and  habits  and  preferences ;  he  fears  that  an 
attempt  to  combine  his  own  ideas  with  those  of 
the  architect  will  result  unsatisfactorily  to  both 
of  them.  To  such  a  man  as  this,  the  remodeled 
farmhouse  comes  as  a  boon.  From  the  old  house 
he  is  able  to  determine  what  type  his  home  will 
be;  no  matter  how  battered  and  worn  it  is  to 
start  with,  he  can  get  some  impression  of  the 
possible  room  space  and  arrangement  by  studying 
other  old  interiors  and  their  relation  to  each  other. 
That  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  the  movement 
sweeping  through  the  country  to-day  has  become 

[ioo] 


Q 
O 
0 


0 

z 

o 


D 
O 

ffi 

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w 

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2 

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a 
H 


THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE 

so  extensive.  It  gives  a  substantial  foundation 
upon  which  to  develop  an  artistic  home  under 
one's  own  supervision. 

When  a  man  purchases  a  weather-beaten  farm- 
house, it  is  evident  that  he  is  up  against  a  real 
problem  in  remodeling,  and  the  task  demands 
plenty  of  time  and  a  wide-awake,  ingenious  brain. 
If  he  consults  his  friends  and  neighbors  across  the 
way,  doubtless  their  opinions  differ  so  materially 
from  his  own  that  the  result  is  worse  than  if  he 
had  solved  the  questions  in  his  own  way.  We  all 
have  ideals,  but  it  is  not  always  easy  to  express 
them;  they  need  to  be  developed  in  order  to  be 
made  practical  and  require  thought  and  diligent 
research  if  they  are  to  be  concretely  embodied  in 
the  altered  home.  Paper  and  pencil  are  good 
friends  at  this  stage  of  the  game,  and  even  a  rough 
sketch  drawn  carelessly  on  the  back  of  an  old 
envelope,  as  an  idea  occurs,  gives  subject  matter 
for  larger  schemes  and  more  realistic  results. 

Few  people  who  are  planning  to  spend  the 
summer  months  in  a  new  house  realize  how  much 
their  comfort  depends  upon  light  and  space. 
It  would  be  foolish  for  you  to  buy  an  old  farm- 
house and  make  the  rooms  small  and  cramped 
in  size.  You  would  lose  a  great  part  of  the  advan- 

[101] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

tage  of  coming  to  the  country  to  live,  the  pleasure 
of  being  as  nearly  out  of  doors  as  possible.  Most 
of  the  old  houses  were  cut  up  into  small  rooms, 
for,  owing  to  the  limited  heating  facilities  in  olden 
days,  large  rooms  would  have  been  freezing  in 
winter;  accordingly  one  or  two  bedrooms  were 
invariably  crowded  into  the  first  floor  to  receive 
the  warmth  from  the  kitchen.  But  it  is  almost 
always  possible  to  tear  out  the  partitions  between 
some  of  the  rooms  and  make  them  into  one  large 
apartment  which  can  be  used  for  living  purposes. 
This  can  usually  be  done  without  weakening  the 
structure;  the  floor  above  will  be  found  to  rest 
upon  a  great  beam,  or  a  new  girder  can  be  put 
across. 

If  the  stud  is  low,  do  not  change  it,  or  you  will 
spoil  the  whole  atmosphere  of  the  place.  A  low 
stud  and  large  rooms  are  good  developments,  so 
try"  to  achieve  them  when  you  are  making  over 
the  house.  Have  plenty  of  windows ;  in  the  old 
days,  many  windows  meant  a  cold  house  in  the 
winter,  but  if  the  farmhouse  is  to  be  used  only  as 
a  summer  home,  the  cooler  the  better.  If  for  a 
winter  residence  also,  modern  systems  of  heating 
will  counteract  the  difficulty.  Windows  of  the 
long  French  type  are  especially  desirable;  they 

[102] 


THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE 

are  more  adapted  to  the  requirements  of  country 
life,  as  they  admit  abundant  light  and  air  and  are 
entirely  in  keeping  with  the  style  of  the  farmhouse. 

The  house  should  represent  a  unit;  the  porch 
should  be  planned  so  that  it  leads  into  the  living- 
room,  and  by  throwing  open  the  windows,  will 
seem  to  become  part  of  a  large  airy  room.  The 
dining-room  should  either  be  part  of  the  living- 
room  or  open  conveniently  near.  The  service 
quarters  must  immediately  adjoin  the  dining-room. 
If  there  is  other  space  on  the  floor  which  cannot  be 
used  to  increase  the  comfort  of  the  two  main 
rooms,  well  and  good;  it  may  then  be  devoted 
to  whatever  purpose  you  desire.  But  when  the 
removal  of  partitions  will  make  a  place  more 
pleasant  to  live  in,  it  is  always  wise  to  make  such 
a  change. 

We  know  that  there  are  few  of  these  old 
houses  that  have  not  been  cut  up  and  divided; 
but  the  conditions  which  made  that  necessary  in 
the  earlier  days  have  been  changed,  and  for  a 
simple  country  house  one  large  living  and  dining- 
room  is  far  better  than  divisions  which  shut  out 
light  and  air.  Many  people  look  at  these  propo- 
sitions from  a  limited  view-point  and  do  not 
stop  to  consider  the  complete  idea.  We  all  learn 

[103] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

from  houses  that  we  visit  what  is  right  and  what 
is  wrong  to  do.  If  we  look  deeper  into  the  subject 
and  go  farther  afield,  we  find  it  pays  to  carefully 
develop  the  plan  before  commencing  to  rebuild. 
The  requirements  of  elaborate  modes  of  life, 
liveried  servants  and  much  entertaining,  demand, 
of  course,  many  apartments ;  reception-room  and 
drawing-room,  library  and  den  seem  essential  in 
the  house  plan,  but  for  those  who  come  to  the 
country  to  simplify  existence,  these  are  not  needed. 
In  remodeling  your  house,  let  three  things  be 
uppermost  in  your  mind :  convenience,  comfort, 
and  light;  if  you  follow  these,  you  will  not  go 
far  astray. 

Even  a  very  small  house  need  not  be  devoid  of 
these  qualities.  It  may  be  very  tiny  and  yet 
most  attractive  and  complete  in  every  detail. 
With  careful  thought  and  a  broad  conception  of 
the  whole,  it  is  quite  possible  to  make  a  place  where 
it  is  a  pleasure  to  visit  and  where  even  the  casual 
guest  realizes  the  application  of  small  and  inter- 
esting details  in  making  a  harmonious  whole. 

Do  not  let  your  mind  wander  from  the  fact  that 
the  interior  is  of  as  much  importance,  and  even 
more,  than  the  exterior,  for  it  is  there  that  we  live 
much  of  the  time  during  the  season,  and  it  should 

[104] 


THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE 

therefore  be  harmonious  and  in  good  taste.  The 
development  of  one  room  for  common  family  use, 
and  the  elimination  of  the  shut-up  parlor  for 
company,  have  brought  about  an  atmosphere  of 
simplicity  that  goes  to  make  a  perfect  and  livable 
house. 

This  one-room  idea  has  been  charmingly  carried 
out  in  a  small  house  that  has  been  remodeled  for 
a  summer  home  by  Mr.  Robert  Spencer  of  New 
York  and  South  Yarmouth.  It  is  most  attrac- 
tively situated,  standing  far  back  from  the  road, 
with  a  background  of  pine  trees  that  give  a  pic- 
turesque touch  to  the  little  cottage.  Originally 
it  stood  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  bay,  on  the 
shores  of  Cape  Cod  at  South  Dennis,  Massachu- 
setts. Its  possibilities  seemed  to  the  present 
owner  worth  developing,  and  he  had  it  "flecked" 
and  brought  over  the  water  to  its  present  site. 
This  was  not  a  hard  task  to  accomplish,  as  the 
timbers  were  stanch  and  in  a  good  state  of 
preservation. 

It  was  a  typical  fisherman's  cottage,  with  a 
wide  gable  roof  sloping  down  to  the  first  story 
and  four  small  rooms  about  a  central  chimney. 
To  meet  the  needs  of  the  new  owner,  it  required 
considerable  enlargement.  A  two-story  building 

[105] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

was  added  at  the  rear  and  side,  meeting  the 
main  house  only  along  the  corner.  Little  attempt 
was  made  to  have  the  two  harmonize,  for  not  only 
are  the  roof  lines  of  widely  different  types,  but 
the  frame  of  one  is  of  white  clapboarding  and  of 
the  other  weathered  shingle.  At  the  angle  where 
they  join,  the  roof  of  the  old  building  has  been 
raised  to  accommodate  the  higher  stud  in  the  new, 
thus  making  a  break  in  it  near  the  ridge. 

Two  dormers  have  been  cut  in  the  main  roof 
to  give  extra  room  in  the  second  floor;  these  are 
flat-roofed  and  well  spaced,  with  two  windows 
occupying  the  entire  front  of  each.  A  porch  has 
been  added  across  the  whole  front  of  the  house 
and  half  of  it  is  roofed  over.  This  breaks 
with  the  slope  of  the  main  roof,  but  follows 
that  of  the  dormers.  A  detail  which  adds  much 
to  the  appearance  of  the  exterior  is  the  simple, 
square-posted  fence  that  surrounds  the  porch 
and  encloses  a  quaint  little  garden  in  the  square 
formed  by  the  angle  of  the  two  buildings.  This 
same  detail  has  been  adopted  at  the  side  of  the 
porch  roof  in  an  effective  way.  This  fence,  and 
the  clapboards  and  trim  of  the  house,  are  white, 
and  the  shutters  and  shingles  are  green. 

The  front  door  opens  immediately  into  the  liv- 
[106] 


Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room 
THE  ROBERT  SPENCER   HOUSE 


The  Attic   Chambers 
THE   ROBERT  SPENCER   HOUSE 


THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE 

ing  and  dining-room  which  occupies  the  whole  right 
side  of  the  house  and  opens  at  the  rear  on  to  a 
grassy  terrace.  A  triple  window  has  been  cut  along 
the  side  to  allow  ample  light  and  air.  Small 
panes  are  used  in  these  windows,  and  the  French 
doors  have  glass  of  corresponding  size.  The 
feature  of  this  room  is  the  fine  old  fireplace  at  the 
center  of  the  inside  wall.  It  is  very  simple,  with 
slight  attempt  at  ornamentation,  but  the  propor- 
tions are  good,  and  the  lines  rather  unusual. 
Over  the  fireplace  is  an  old  cupboard  that  used 
to  be  called  a  "nightcap  closet"  from  the  hos- 
pitable bottle  which  was  kept  there  to  be  passed 
around  among  the  men  just  before  retiring.  At 
the  left  is  a  cupboard  with  upper  and  lower  doors ; 
in  the  panels  of  the  former,  panes  of  glass  have 
been  inserted.  This  end  of  the  room  has  been 
treated  as  the  living-room  and  the  opposite  end  as 
the  dining-room.  The  woodwork  is  all  white, 
and  the  roughly  finished  plaster  is  tinted  -a  deep 
cream. 

Straight  stairs  lead  to  the  second  story  along 
the  wall  at  the  dining  end  of  the  room.  Here, 
about  the  walls,  a  wide  molding  has  been  carried 
over  doors  and  windows,  which  serves  as  a  plate- 
rail  for  numerous  interesting  old  family  plates 

[107] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

and  jugs.  Beneath  it,  in  several  places,  shelves 
have  been  bracketed  to  the  wall  to  hold  other 
pieces  of  china.  The  glass  door  at  the  end  opens 
on  to  the  terrace,  and  the  paneled  door  beside  it 
communicates  with  the  kitchen  and  servants' 
quarters  in  the  addition. 

The  furnishings  in  this  room  admirably  accord 
with  the  building  in  both  age  and  simplicity. 
The  older  furniture  has  been  supplemented  with 
modern  pieces  of  straightest  and  most  unpreten- 
tious line  and  character.  Clocks,  mirrors,  pic- 
tures, andirons,  and  fire-set  are  family  heirlooms. 
The  coverings  on  the  floor  are  large  and  plain  rag 
carpets;  at  the  windows  are  simple  muslin  cur- 
tains, with  overhangings  of  Colonial  chintz  in  soft 
colors  harmonizing  with  the  cheerful  and  sunny 
atmosphere  of  the  room. 

At  the  left  of  this  room,  occupying  the  other 
side  of  the  house,  are  two  bedrooms.  One  of  them 
is  the  childrens'  own  room  and  has  been  furnished 
very  attractively;  fresh  white  tables  and  chairs 
harmonize  with  the  older  mahogany  pieces  and 
lend  an  air  of  distinctive  charm  to  the  apartment. 

The  space  up-stairs  is  divided  into  large  and 
small  rooms  under  the  eaves.  The  slope  of  the 
roof  allows  room  for  many  built-in  drawers  and 

[108] 


THE  ROBERT  SPENCER  HOUSE 

closets,  and  every  inch  has  been  utilized.  The 
white  paint  and  the  simple  white  furniture  ar- 
ranged with  a  care  and  precision  that  is  worthy  of 
emulation  contribute  to  make  the  effect  of  these 
rooms  light  and  airy  and  inviting.  The  Japanese 
crepe  or  gay  cretonne  curtains  at  the  windows  add. 
just  the  necessary  touch  of  color. 

The  lighting  fixtures  in  the  house  demand' 
especial  notice,  as  it  is  so  difficult  a  matter  to 
attain  a  distinction  in  them  when  a  house  has  not 
been  wired  but  must  depend  upon  older  methods 
of  illumination  than  electricity  or  gas.  A  number 
of  simple  candle  brackets  attaching  to  the  wall 
have  been  purchased,  and  these  are  placed  sym- 
metrically in  pairs,  balancing  each  other  on  either 
side  of  a  fireplace  or  mirror  or  window.  The 
candlesticks  for  shelf  or  table  have  been  arranged 
with  equal  precision,  and  some  are  given  all  the 
more  importance  by  attractive  hand-made  shades. 
An  occasional  simple,  square,  candle  lantern 
hangs  from  the  ceiling  to  contribute  to  the  effect. 
The  table  and  reading  lamps  have  been  chosen 
with  equal  success. 


[109] 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

IN  planning  the  remodeling  of  a  farmhouse, 
has  it  ever  occurred  to  you  how  much  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  exterior  depends  upon  the  archi- 
tecture of  verandas  and  porches  ?  Not  only  must 
we  give  much  thought  to  the  alteration  of  the 
lines  of  the  house  which  may  be  required  by  the 
interior  plan,  but  we  must  be  equally  careful  when 
it  comes  to  the  addition  of  entirely  exterior 
features. 

Modern  country  life  demands  plenty  of  veranda 
room  and,  whenever  possible,  sleeping-porches. 
One  does  not  go  to  the  country  to  sit  indoors, 
even  if  the  windows  are  all  thrown  open.  There 
is  nothing  that  will  so  materially  improve  the 
health  as  outdoor  life;  tired  and  jaded  nerves 
are  soon  restored  by  use  of  a  sleeping-porch, 
where  the  fresh  air  can  soothe  and  induce  restful 
slumber.  In  the  early  days,  the  porch  or  ve- 
randa did  not  exist ;  it  may  be  supposed  that  our 
pioneer  ancestors  were  too  busy  to  enjoy  any 

[no] 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

leisurely  hours  out  of  doors ;  at  least,  they  made 
no  provision  in  connection  with  their  houses  for 
such  relaxation. 

As  the  details  of  the  exterior  became  more 
elaborate,  the  entrance  porch  was  developed  with 
free-standing  columns.  In  time,  this  assumed 
greater  importance,  especially  in  the  south,  where 
columns  the  height  of  the  whole  building  sup- 
ported a  roof  across  its  entire  front.  In  the 
north,  the  veranda  was  less  frequently  used,  but 
there  is  occasional  authority  for  both  the  front 
and  the  less  pretentious  back  piazza.  It  is  one 
of  the  additions  which  are  imperative  in  remodel- 
ing the  house,  however,  and  it  becomes  something 
of  a  problem  because  there  is  no  more  definite 
authority  for  it. 

If  there  is  to  be  simply  an  entrance  porch, 
offering  a  bit  of  shelter  at  the  front  door  for 
stranger  or  friend,  it  may  have  much  precedent 
in  the  porches  of  Georgian  houses.  In  planning 
this,  take  into  consideration  that  it  should  be  an 
index  of  what  one  will  find  in  the  interior ;  it  should 
be  the  keynote,  as  it  were,  of  the  entire  house. 
Here  we  may  have  the  same  details  and  the  same 
proportions  as  in  the  cornice  of  the  roof,  or  the 
fireplace  within.  We  find  many  porches  that 

[in] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

are  sadly  out  of  keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  house 
and  seem  very  carelessly  designed.  It  is  far 
better  to  have  none  at  all  than  one  which  is 
insignificant  and  out  of  scale ;  yet  it  must  not  be 
more  elaborate  than  the  house  itself  and  tend  to 
dwarf  the  main  structure.  Few  people  realize 
how  important  this  feature  is  and  how  necessary 
that  it  should  be  a  satisfactory  adjunct  to  the 
architecture  of  the  whole.  It  is  almost  the  first 
thing  we  notice  as  we  approach  the  house. 
Whether  it  is  well  placed  and  rightly  proportioned, 
whether  it  has  a  proper  overhang,  good  roof  lines, 
and  adequately  supported  cornice,  affects  to  a 
very  great  extent  the  style  and  character  of 
the  house. 

There  were  a  great  many  different  types  of 
porch  in  the  Georgian  houses  :  the  simple  hood 
with  a  high-backed  settle  on  either  side  that  was 
commonly  used  at  a  side  entrance;  the  gable- 
roofed  and  flat-roofed,  square  porch  and  circu- 
lar, open  and  partly  enclosed,  with  round  and  oval 
windows  at  the  sides,  were  all  developed  to  high 
perfection.  The  simple,  Doric  column,  plain  or 
fluted,  with  corresponding  pilasters  or  three- 
fourths  round  against  the  house,  was  used  on 
many  of  the  porches;  but  the  Ionic  and  Corin- 

[112] 


J 


O 

ffi 


O 

2i 
ffl 


Q 

a 
X 


The   Hallway 
THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN   HOUSE 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

thian  capitals  are  more  elaborate  than  is  appro- 
priate for  the  simplicity  of  a  farmhouse.  From 
the  infinite  number  of  models  which  can  be  found, 
it  should  be  a  comparatively  easy  matter  to  con- 
struct an  entrance  porch,  utilizing  the  details 
found  in  the  house. 

A  veranda  demands  somewhat  different  manner 
of  procedure.  First  it  is  necessary  to  decide 
where  it  shall  be  put.  Where  will  it  receive  the 
best  air  and  the  least  sun  ?  It  must,  presumably, 
open  from  or  adjacent  to  the  living-room  and  yet  be 
so  placed  that  its  roof  will  not  cut  oif  too  much 
light.  If  the  house  is  uncomfortably  near  the 
highway  or  neighbors,  the  matter  of  privacy 
cannot  be  neglected,  and  a  thought  may  well  be 
given  to  the  outlook  from  the  piazza.  Let  it 
enjoy  any  advantage  of  a  fine  view  or  a  picturesque 
garden  that  may  be  compatible  with  its  other 
requirements.  Thus  it  may  be  at  the  front,  at 
either  or  both  sides,  or  in  the  rear.  At  the  side 
of  the  ordinary,  gable-roofed  house,  the  roof  of 
the  veranda  should  as  a  rule  be  flat.  If  it  is 
possible  to  continue  the  roof  line  of  the  house  to 
include  that  of  the  porch,  by  all  means  let  it  be 
done;  the  unbroken  sweep  will  usually  be  found 
excellent.  At  some  angles  it  may  seem  too  long 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

and  severe;  then  it  is  often  possible  to  put  a 
slight  "kick"  in  it,  especially  if  there  is  anything 
of  the  Dutch  type  about  the  building. 

The  floor  of  the  porch  in  farmhouses  should  be 
low ;  it  may  be  on  a  level  with  that  of  the  house, 
or  a  step  below  it.  It  is  well  to  let  the  under- 
pinning be  a  continuation  of  that  of  the  house, 
and  it  may  then  be  covered  with  brick  or  tile,  or 
the  conventional  boards.  The  columns  or  posts 
which  support  the  roof  are  a  stumbling  block  for 
many  remodelers.  These  should  closely  copy  the 
entrance  porch,  if  there  is  one;  even  if  it  be  no 
more  than  a  flat  semblance  of  a  pilaster  about 
the  frame  of  the  door,  it  will  supply  the  correct 
motive.  Lacking  this,  there  will  undoubtedly 
be  some  detail  in  the  interior  which  can  be  magni- 
fied to  the  right  proportion  for  the  exterior,  —  the 
upright  of  a  mantel  or  the  frame  of  a  door.  For 
a  house  which  can  boast  no  such  source  of  sugges- 
tion, a  straight,  square  post  with  a  simple  mold- 
ing would  be  the  solution.  The  cornice  should 
follow  the  detail  of  the  entrance  door  or  the  house 
cornice ;  and  it  is  effective  and  increases  the  appar- 
ent unity  to  repeat  the  decoration  of  the  one  on 
the  other. 

The  rails   and   balusters   of  old   houses   were 

[114] 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

extremely  simple  and  should  be  kept  so  in  the 
remodeling.  In  the  very  early  examples,  the 
balusters  were  square  and  spaced  far  apart ;  later 
both  square  and  turned  balusters  were  used,  and 
they  were  spaced  twice  their  width.  The  design 
for  these  can  often  be  taken  from  the  stairs  in  the 
interior  of  the  house.  It  is  the  modern  tendency 
to  use  no  railing  about  verandas,  particularly 
when  they  are  low  or  when  they  are  screened  in. 
Some  of  the  flat-roofed  type  had  a  railing  around 
the  roof,  and  an  open-air  porch  was  thus  made 
for  the  second  story. 

Sometimes  this  porch  can  be  utilized  as  a  sleep- 
ing-porch on  the  second  floor.  This  feature, 
while  of  course  entirely  foreign  to  the  farmhouse, 
has  become  as  much  a  necessity  in  many  families 
as  the  open-air  living-room,  and  it  is  therefore 
logical  to  introduce  it  where  possible  to  do  so  with- 
out destroying  the  lines  of  the  building.  It  is 
better,  however,  to  do  without  it  than  to  add  it 
in  such  a  way  that  it  will  seem  an  afterthought 
and  not  really  incorporated  in  the  structure. 
Often  it  can  be  placed  in  a  wide  dormer  cut  in  the 
slope  of  the  roof ;  sometimes  the  roof  line  can  be 
extended  over  the  roof  of  the  sleeping-porch,  or 
again  it  may  be  merely  a  room  with  the  walls 

["Si 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

largely  cut  away.  Each  remodeler  will  have  his 
own  problem  in  connection  with  this,  and  by 
ingenuity  and  careful  study  must  work  it  out  to 
his  own  satisfaction.  Remember  always  that 
the  integral  simplicity  of  the  building  must  not 
be  disturbed,  and  that  whether  it  be  sleeping- 
porch,  veranda,  or  entrance  portico,  it  must  seem 
always  a  part  of  the  original  building,  as  if  it  were 
the  conception  of  the  master  craftsman  who 
erected  the  first  timbers. 

Most  gratifying  results  along  this  line  are  shown 
in  an  old  farmhouse  at  Medfield,  Massachusetts, 
which  was  built  in  1755.  Like  many  other  old 
houses,  this  had  fallen  into  decay  and  stood  neg- 
lected and  unoccupied  by  the  side  of  the  road 
while  the  extensive  grounds  lay  unkempt  and 
desolate.  But  Mr.  Davenport  Brown  recognized 
in  it  a  house  that  could  be  made  to  serve  most 
acceptably  as  the  foundation  of  his  summer  home. 

It  is  of  the  Georgian  type,  built  with  the  hall 
and  straight  flight  of  stairs  as  the  axis.  There  are 
two  main  chimneys  opening  into  four  fireplaces 
on  the  first  floor.  A  service  wing  has  been  added 
at  the  left,  parallel  with  the  main  building,  and 
half  its  width.  Back  of  that,  an  ell  of  equal  size 
extends  at  right  angles.  Both  of  these  are  two 

[116] 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

storied,  but  the  upper  stud  is  somewhat  lower 
than  in  the  main  building,  thus  allowing  it  to  re- 
tain its  predominance  in  the  design. 

The  main  part  is  given  further  importance 
by  the  dignified  entrance  porch.  Two  three- 
fourths  round  and  two  free-standing,  fluted, 
Doric  columns  are  used,  supporting  a  cornice 
and  a  gabled  roof,  the  details  of  which  repeat 
those  in  the  cornice  of  the  house.  A  rather 
unusual  type  of  scalloped  dentation  lends  addi- 
tional interest.  The  frame  about  the  door  is 
arched  over,  and  there  are  side  lights  and  an 
overhead  fanlight  in  a  simple  style  that  carries  out 
the  Colonial  tradition. 

The  hall  leads  past  the  stairs  and  through  an 
open  doorway  to  the  rear  of  the  house,  where  there 
is  another  entrance,  repeating  the  design  of  the 
front  one.  This  is  some  distance  from  the  rear 
wall  of  the  house,  and  consequently  there  is  a 
small,  arched-over  portico  formed  within  the 
lines  of  the  building.  The  walls  of  this  are  pan- 
eled, and  on  each  side  is  a  built-in  seat.  The  floor 
is  tiled,  and  the  woodwork  painted  white. 

At  each  end  of  the  main  part  of  the  building  is 
a  flat-roofed  veranda  carrying  out  the  details  of 
the  entrance  porch  in  column  and  cornice.  The 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

same  dentil  ornamentation  that  appears  on  the 
cornice  of  the  house  is  used  here  in  smaller  size, 
as  on  the  entrance  porch.  Around  the  edges  of 
the  flat  roofs,  boxes  filled  with  blooming  plants 
and  vines  form  an  original  and  most  attractive 
method  of  softening  the  sharp  lines  and  finish  of 
the  house.  The  veranda  on  the  right  side  over- 
looking the  wide  lawns  and  gardens  is  used  largely 
as  the  outdoor  living-room  and  is  screened  in. 
The  spacing  of  the  bars  and  framework  of  the 
screening  is  well  proportioned  and  adds  not  a  little 
to  the  decoration.  The  floor  of  the  veranda  is 
edged  with  brick  and  paved  in  the  center  with 
square  tiles  which  slope  toward  a  drain  at  one 
side.  This  wing  of  the  living-room  has  been  com- 
fortably furnished  with  canvas  hammocks  and 
Chinese  grass  chairs  and  stools,  and  even  a  sand- 
box for  the  children  finds  room  here. 

In  the  central  hall,  the  details  carry  out  the 
character  of  the  old  period  carefully.  There  is  a 
white  unpaneled  wainscot  carved  around  the 
walls  and  up  the  stairs,  with  a  similar  treatment  in 
the  second-floor  hall.  The  stairs  are  wide,  with 
white  risers  and  mahogany  treads,  and  the  hand- 
rail is  mahogany  supported  on  white,  turned 
balusters  and  a  mahogany  newel  post.  The 

[118] 


The  Sun-Parlor  or  Out-door  Nursery 


The  Library 
THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN   HOUSE 


Two  of  the  Chambers 
THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

upper  walls  are  papered  in  a  gray  landscape  paper, 
and  the  furnishings  consist  of  a  pair  of  Sheraton 
card  tables. 

At  the  right  of  the  hall,  the  two  rooms  have 
been  combined  into  a  living-room  by  cutting 
double  arches  on  either  side  of  the  fireplaces 
which  open  from  the  back  and  front  of  the  chim- 
ney. The  furnishings  are  especially  interesting 
here,  as  there  are  a  number  of  rare  and  beautiful 
pieces.  The  mantel  mirror  over  the  front  fire- 
place is  a  fine  example  of  American  workmanship. 
The  mahogany  frame  divides  its  length  into  three 
sections,  and  it  is  ornamented  with  carved  and 
gilded  husk  festoons ;  the  scroll  top  is  surmounted 
with  a  gilt  spread  eagle.  In  front  of  the  fire  there 
is  a  beautiful  little  Sheraton  fire-screen.  Chairs 
and  tables  are  equally  interesting ;  there  is  an  old 
"comb-back"  chair  and  an  upholstered  "Martha 
Washington"  chair,  as  well  as  more  modern  easy 
chairs  and  davenports.  The  upholstery  and  cur- 
tains are  of  small-patterned,  Colonial  fabrics 
that  carry  out  the  spirit  of  the  room.  In  the 
back  part  of  this  room,  a  large  double  window  has 
been  cut,  looking  out  over  the  gardens  and  the 
grounds.  Underneath  it  is  a  most  attractive 
window-seat  suggestive  of  an  old-time  settle,  and 

[H9l 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

on  each  side  low  book-shelves  extend  around  the 
whole  end  of  the  room. 

The  dining-room  is  situated  at  the  left  of  the 
hallway.  The  fireplace  and  paneling  hold  the 
attention  in  this  room.  The  woodwork  is  very 
simple  but  well  proportioned,  and  on  either 
side  of  the  mantel  are  narrow,  built-in,  china 
closets  with  small,  leaded,  diamond  panes  in 
both  upper  and  lower  parts  of  the  door  and  even 
in  a  transom  over  it.  The  walls  above  the  un- 
paneled  wainscot  are  painted  white  and  divided 
into  simple,  large  panels  with  narrow  moldings. 
The  furniture  in  this  room  is  suggestive  of  the 
early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Queen  Anne  type  of  chair.  Over 
the  heavy  and  massive  sideboard  is  a  long  gilt  mir- 
ror of  the  Empire  "banister"  type;  between  the 
two  side  windows  is  a  gilt,  convex  girandole  with 
three  branching  candlesticks  on  each  side.  On  the 
mantel  is  a  fine  example  of  a  Willard  shelf  clock, 
and  on  each  side  of  it  are  tall  mahogany  candlesticks 
with  the  old-fashioned  wind  glasses.  The  over- 
curtains  at  the  windows  are  a  soft  rose  damask; 
they  hang  from  gilded  cornices  and  are  caught  back 
on  gilded  rosettes,  — the  style  of  draping  which  is 
carried  out  in  all  the  main  rooms  of  the  house. 

[120] 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

The  service  wing  opens  from  the  left  of  the  din- 
ing-room, and  the  den,  which  is  back  of  it,  with  a 
fireplace  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  same  chimney, 
is  reached  from  the  rear  of  the  hall. 

At  the  head  of  the  stairs  at  the  right,  one  enters 
the  bright  and  sunny  nursery.  Here  the  fireplace 
is  very  simple  and  has  no  overmantel.  The  wood- 
work is  white,  and  a  broad  molding  divides  the 
upper  part  of  the  wall.  Below  is  a  quaint  paper 
picturing  Mother  Goose  scenes  which  the  children 
never  tire  of  studying.  The  furniture  is  mainly 
white,  and  the  little  chairs  and  tables  in  child's 
size  are  decorated  in  peasant  fashion  with  painted 
flowers  and  lines  of  color. 

There  are  two  other  bedrooms  in  the  main  part 
of  the  house  and  each  has  an  open  fireplace.  The 
furnishings  are  simple  and  old-fashioned  in  char- 
acter, retaining  the  Colonial  atmosphere  admi- 
rably. In  one  room  there  is  a  Field  bedstead  of 
English  make,  dating  about  1780,  showing  reeded 
posts  and  a  curved  canopy  top.  The  chairs  and 
the  little  night  stand  at  the  side  of  the  bed  are 
in  close  harmony  with  the  period  of  its  design. 
In  the  other  chamber  are  twin  beds  which  are 
modern  reproductions  of  four-posters,  but  other 
furnishings  retain  the  distinctive  atmosphere  of  age. 

[121] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Over  one  bureau  there  is  a  fine  mirror  with  the 
Georgian  eagle  ornamentation;  in  keeping  with 
it  are  the  old  fireside  wing  chair  and  a  side  chair 
of  Sheraton  type. 

The  most  interesting  bedroom,  perhaps,  is 
in  the  wing  of  the  house,  where  Hannah  Adams, 
the  first  American  authoress,  was  born.  This  is 
reached  by  a  cross  hall  which  leads  from  the  main 
one,  and  gives  access  to  baths  and  rear  stairs 
and  another  tiny  bedroom.  Although  the  old 
fireplace  has  been  remodeled,  the  aspect  of  the 
room  is  much  the  same  as  when  the  house  was 
built.  The  woodwork  here  is  all  dark,  and  the 
hand-hewn  rafters  and  cross  beams  are  exposed 
in  the  ceiling.  An  unusual  wall-paper  in  black 
and  gay  colors  forms  an  interesting  background 
for  the  four-poster  and  other  old  furnishings. 
An  old  batten  door  with  a  quaint  little  window  in 
the  center  strip  leads  from  this  room  to  the  cham- 
bers in  the  service  ell. 

Much  of  the  house  has  been  restored  under  the 
direction  of  the  architect,  Mr.  John  Pickering 
Putnam  of  Boston,  and  to  him  the  credit  for  its 
successful  remodeling  must  be  largely  given. 
The  planning  and  laying  out  of  the  grounds  about 
the  house,  however,  are  the  work  of  the  owner, 

[122] 


THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 

who  has  spared  no  pains  to  make  a  harmonious 
setting  for  his  home. 

Between  the  house  and  the  road  is  a  row  of 
great  overshadowing  elms  that  make  a  delightful 
setting  for  the  red  and  white  of  the  house.  The 
drive  sweeps  around  these  trees  to  the  stable  on 
the  left  and  is  separated  from  the  house  and  the 
lawns  by  white  palings  in  a  simple  Colonial  pat- 
tern, having  fine,  carved  posts  surmounted  by 
balls.  The  fence  stops  at  either  side  of  the  front 
to  allow  wide  space  for  a  heavy  embankment  of 
conifers.  Somewhat  back  of  this  fence,  along 
the  whole  length  of  the  lawn,  is  a  second  lower 
one,  with  posts  of  the  same  height.  This  marks 
the  boundary  of  the  wide  lawn  and  forms  a  charm- 
ing background  for  an  old-fashioned  hardy  border 
that  extends  all  the  way  to  a  swimming-pool  and 
pergolas  at  the  far  end.  Immediately  behind  the 
house  is  the  flower  garden,  from  which  all  the 
blossoms  used  to  decorate  the  house  are  cut; 
this  is  screened  by  a  white  trellis  and  pergola, 
carrying  out  some  of  the  details  of  the  entrance 
porches  and  verandas. 


[123] 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   DOCTOR   CHARLES    E.   INCHES   HOUSE 

A  VERY  interesting  feature  in  an  old  farmhouse 
is  the  fireplace,  which  varies  in  size  with  the  age 
of  the  house ;  the  oldest  ones  are  large,  with  cavern- 
ous mouths,  since  they  were  the  only  means  of 
heating  the  house.  These  are  capable  of  holding 
a  ten-foot  log,  for  it  must  be  remembered  that  at 
that  period  of  our  country's  history  the  woods 
grew  at  the  very  door. 

A  few  of  these  old  fireplaces  are  found  to-day, 
principally  in  the  old  kitchens  or  living-rooms, 
although  occasionally  we  see  an  old  house  which 
has  them  in  almost  every  room.  There  is  a 
great  variety  in  their  design  as  well  as  size,  some 
being  very  simple  and  framed  in  wood,  while 
others  show  tiling ;  occasionally  we  find  elaborate 
carving,  but  this  is  in  the  better  class  building 
rather  than  in  the  simple  little  farmhouse.  These 
details  denote  the  different  periods  and  also  the 
wealth  of  the  former  owner. 

With  the  introduction  of  stoves,  many  fireplaces 
[124] 


The  Nursery 


The  Service  Wing 
THE  DAVENPORT  BROWN  HOUSE 


*1 


» 

>   u 

c      w 
P       B 

£    h 


THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 

were  bricked  in  to  accommodate  an  air-tight 
stove  which  gave  more  heat  and  saved  fuel.  One 
unaccustomed  to  the  features  of  an  old  farmhouse 
would  infer  a  lack  of  fireplaces.  The  removal  of 
brick  and  mortar,  however,  reveals  the  large, 
cavernous  hearth  which  was  often  three  feet  deep 
and  sometimes  showed  a  second  bricking  in,  to 
make  it  smaller.  Often  in  the  narrowing  of  the 
fireplace,  tiles  are  used,  generally  Dutch,  which  are 
blue  and  white  in  coloring.  Occasionally  in  open- 
ing up  these  fireplaces,  one  comes  across  rare  old 
andirons  that  were  considered  of  too  little  value  to 
be  removed ;  old  cranes  and  kettles  are  also  found,  of 
the  type  common  in  the  days  of  our  early  ancestors. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  chimneys  of 
these  old  houses  were  often  six  feet  square  and 
had  many  fireplaces  opening  from  them.  It  was 
the  central  feature  of  the  house,  around  which 
the  rooms  were  built.  The  earliest  chimneys 
were  daubed  in  clay,  and  in  the  masonry  oak 
timbers  were  often  used.  In  remodeling  a  house 
many  people  tear  down  these  old  chimneys  for 
the  space  which  may  be  converted  into  closet 
use  and  alcoves,  making  a  smaller  chimney  do 
service. 

In  the  olden  times,  when  the  first  chimneys 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

were  erected,  they  were  so  carefully  built  that 
they  were  less  liable  to  smoke  than  the  smaller 
ones,  so  that  it  is  better  to  let  the  old  one  remain 
if  possible.  Brick  was  generally  used  in  the  con- 
struction, although  sometimes  we  find  stone. 
It  was  not  the  finished  brick  of  to-day  but  rough 
and  unfaced.  This  was  not  true,  however,  of 
those  which  formed  a  part  of  cargoes  from 
abroad,  more  especially  those  brought  from  Hol- 
land. The  use  of  stone  was  not  popular,  as  it  was 
apt  to  chip  when  brought  in  contact  with  the 
heat;  this  is  also  true  of  the  hearthstones,  where 
the  flagging  became  rough  and  most  unsatisfac- 
tory. 

The  fireback  was  a  feature  of  some  of  the  old 
fireplaces.  The  earliest  of  these  made  in  our 
country  were  cast  in  Saugus,  Massachusetts,  and 
some  were  most  elaborate  in  design.  Often  coats- 
of-arms  and  initials  were  worked  out  in  their 
construction.  In  addition  to  the  brick  and  stone, 
soapstone  facings  were  sometimes  shown,  but 
seldom  do  we  come  across  good  carving. 

The  crane  was  a  feature  of  the  fireplace,  and 
on  it  were  hung  the  pothooks  from  which  depended 
the  iron  and  brass  pots  in  which  food  was  cooked. 
In  one  side  of  the  bricks,  just  at  the  left  of  the 

[126] 


THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 

fireplace,  was  often  a  large  brick  oven  with  an 
iron  door,  and  here  on  baking  days  roaring  wood 
fires  were  kindled  to  heat  the  bricks  before  the 
weekly  baking  was  placed  within.  Examination 
of  these  old  ovens  will  be  very  apt  to  reveal  the 
age  of  the  house. 

In  the  remodeling  it  is  well  to  leave  the  fire- 
places much  as  they  stand,  with  the  exception  of 
bricking  them  in,  for  the  old  ones  allowed  too 
much  air  to  come  down  the  chimney,  and  at  the 
present  high  price  of  wood,  we  are  not  able  to 
indulge  in  the  ten-foot  logs  that  were  in  evidence 
in  our  grandmothers'  time. 

A  house  with  many  fireplaces  that  stands  back 
from  the  winding  country  road  on  the  border  line 
between  Medfield  and  Walpole  in  Massachusetts 
was  chosen  for  a  summer  home  by  Charles  E. 
Inches.  It  is  shaded  now  as  it  was  long  ago  by 
large,  old  elms  whose  widespreading  branches 
seem  to  add  a  note  of  hospitality  to  this  most 
attractive  estate.  Possibly  there  are  better  exam- 
ples of  the  restored  farmhouse  than  this  one  found 
at  Medfield,  but  it  is  very  picturesque,  not  only  in 
type  but  in  surroundings.  It  stands  near  a  turn  of 
the  road,  where  it  was  erected,  in  1652,  situated  in 
a  sheltered  glen  and  protected  from  cold  winds. 

[127] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

At  that  time  it  was  a  small  and  unpretentious 
building  about  twenty  feet  long  and  showing  in 
the  interior  fine  examples  of  hand-hewn  timbers. 
Even  in  its  dilapidated  state  it  was  most  attrac- 
tive, with  its  many  fireplaces  and  old  woodwork. 
This  particular  house  has  two  values,  the  one  re- 
lating to  its  historical  record  and  the  other  to 
its  old-time  construction.  Through  two  centuries 
this  little  farmhouse  had  been  the  home  of  the 
Adams  family,  a  branch  that  was  near  in  kin  to 
the  presidential  line  of  Adams  who  lived  at  Quincy, 
Massachusetts. 

At  the  time  of  its  building,  a  stream  wound  in 
and  out  through  the  meadow  land  that  was  a 
part  of  the  property.  It  was  such  a  large  stream 
that  it  afforded  sufficient  power  to  run  an  old  mill 
that  originally  stood  on  the  estate  and  which  for 
many  years  ground  the  neighbors'  grain.  On  a 
ridge  opposite  the  house,  worn  stone  steps  lead 
up  through  pastures  to  a  sturdy  oak  which  stands 
nearly  opposite  the  front  of  the  house  and  is 
known  in  history  as  the  "whipping  tree."  Here, 
in  Colonial  days,  wrong-doers  were  tied  to  be 
whipped.  Just  before  we  reach  the  stone  wall, 
which  was  laid  probably  by  the  slaves  held  by 
the  landowner  of  that  period,  we  find  an  old 

[128] 


THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 

mounting-block.  On  the  side  of  one  of  the  stones 
are  the  figures  1652;  and  it  was  from  this  block 
that  many  a  Colonial  dame  mounted  to  her  pillion 
to  ride  in  slow  and  dignified  style  behind  her 
worthy  squire.  Even  in  those  days  the  grounds 
were  very  extensive  and  reached  for  many  acres. 
These  to-day  have  been  reclaimed  and  laid  down 
to  grass  land  and  garden. 

Half  way  between  the  house  and  the  tennis 
court  which  defines  the  estate  is  a  wonderful  old 
garden  which  has  been  designed  not  so  much  for 
show  purposes  as  to  supply  flowers  all  through 
the  season.  This  is  not  the  only  garden  on  the 
place,  for  back  of  it  is  the  vegetable  garden  and 
the  old-fashioned  one.  The  dividing  line  between 
the  two  is  a  row  of  stately  trees  which  hide  the 
former  from  view  at  the  front  of  the  house. 
Rows  of  apple-trees,  many  of  which  were  on  the 
estate  when  it  was  first  purchased,  remnants  of 
the  original  orchard,  surround  in  part  the  tennis 
court,  behind  which  is  a  swimming  pool  which  is 
in  frequent  use.  This  is  about  twenty-five  feet 
long  and  twelve  wide,  cemented  to  a  depth  of 
seven  feet;  with  its  background  of  tall  poplars 
it  is  very  artistic  and  lends  itself  to  all  sorts  of 
water  contests. 

[129] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, new  life  came  to  the  old  house.  It  had 
stood  for  years,  weather-beaten  and  old,  guarding 
the  family  name.  While  the  outside  was  very 
attractive  and  in  tolerably  good  repair,  it  was  the 
interior  that  appealed  especially.  There  was 
beautiful  old  wainscoting  and  paneling  of  wide 
boards,  some  of  which  was  split  from  logs  at  least 
thirty  inches  in  width.  Great  reverence  was 
paid  by  the  owner  to  the  original  structure,  partic- 
ularly to  the  old  kitchen  with  its  large,  brick 
fireplace  and  chimney  which  was  restored  to  its 
early  beauty. 

Sagging  plaster  was  removed,  and  underneath 
were  found  well-preserved,  hand-hewn  beams  and 
rafters.  These  were  carefully  cleaned  and  consid- 
ered of  such  great  beauty  that  they  were  left 
exposed  as  far  as  possible,  more  especially  those 
which  showed  the  sign  of  the  adze.  The  walls, 
which  had  been  previously  neglected,  were  stripped 
of  wall-papers  which  were  in  some  places  ten 
thicknesses  deep.  In  removing  one  of  these, 
a  wonderfully  fine  landscape  paper  was  discovered, 
and  although  every  attempt  was  made  to  save  it, 
it  was  too  far  defaced.  Under  the  paper  was  a 
wide  paneling  of  white  pine,  so  good  that  it  needed 

[130] 


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THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 

only  a  slight  restoration.  In  the  opening  of  the 
fireplace  the  crane,  pothook,  and  hangers  were 
found  to  be  intact,  while  many  pieces  of  ancestral 
pewter  and  copper  were  polished  and  placed  in 
proper  position  on  the  wide,  receding  chimney. 
This  was  to  give  it  the  look  of  the  olden  days, 
when  pewter  was  used  for  the  table.  There 
was  no  bricking  in  of  this  old  fireplace,  for  it  was 
considered  such  a  wonderful  example  that  it  was 
left  in  its  original  state.  The  old  flint-lock  that 
did  service  in  the  early  war  was  hung  over  the 
fireplace,  while  from  the  chimney  hook  the  old-time 
kettles  were  swung  much  as  they  did  in  the  days 
when  they  were  used  for  cooking  purposes.  The 
old  brick  oven  used  by  the  Adams  family  was  not 
removed,  and  at  one  side  of  the  fireplace  a  long 
braid  of  corn  was  hung  in  conformity  with  the 
custom  of  that  period.  The  hand-hewn  rafters 
and  beams  have  been  left  intact  in  this  room,  as 
has  the  old  woodwork,  so  that  the  kitchen,  now 
used  as  a  den,  is  an  exact  reproduction  of  the 
original  room.  It  is  the  most  interesting  apart- 
ment in  the  house,  being  situated  at  the  right  of 
the  entrance  and  furnished  with  old  family  heir- 
looms, including  five  rare  slat-back  chairs,  a  rush- 
bottomed  rocking-chair,  and  a  settle  of  the  same 

[131] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

period.  Even  the  wide  boards  that  were  used  in  the 
original  flooring  have  been  retained,  and  the  old 
brick  hearth,  showing  wide  bricks  such  as  are  never 
found  in  modern  residences.  To  meet  present  re- 
quirements, the  cellar  was  cemented,  and  a  furnace 
added,  in  order  that  the  occupants  need  not 
depend  entirely  on  the  fireplaces  for  heat. 

In  the  hallway,  the  stairway,  following  the 
lines  of  many  Colonial  houses,  rises  at  one  side. 
Here  the  wall-paper  is  wonderfully  preserved, 
being  in  the  old  colors  of  yellow  and  white  and  of 
a  very  old  design.  It  was  made  in  England  over 
a  century  ago  and  gives  an  appropriate  atmosphere 
to  the  entrance  of  the  attractive  old  home. 

.The  living-room,  which  is  spacious  and  com- 
fortable, is  at  the  right  just  before  you  enter  the 
den.  The  woodwork  has  been  painted  white, 
following  the  Colonial  idea,  while  old-fashioned, 
diamond-paned  windows  have  been  substituted 
for  the  original  ones.  Here,  as  throughout  all 
the  house,  one  comes  unexpectedly  upon  groups 
of  shelves  filled  with  books.  There  are  built-in 
cupboards  that  provide  places  for  the  wonderful 
collection  of  books,  many  of  which  are  rare  editions, 
owned  by  the  present  occupants.  Like  every 
room  in  the  house,  this  shows  several  tables  of 


THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 

unusually  fine  design,  a  handsome  side-wing  chair, 
and  a  few  other  choice  pieces.  The  great  open 
fireplace  with  its  Colonial  accessories  lends  much 
to  the  hominess  of  this  room. 

At  the  left  of  the  hallway  is  the  large  and  spa- 
cious dining-room,  which  is  in  reality  three  rooms 
opened  into  one,  the  partitions  showing  in  the 
beamed  ceilings.  The  walls  are  finished  in  green 
textile  and  are  left  unornamented  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  or  two  choice  pictures.  There  was 
a  method  in  the  construction  of  this  room  which 
was  planned  for  unbroken  spaces  to  bring  out  to 
advantage  the  lines  of  the  beautiful  old  side- 
board. Then,  too,  the  space  shows  off  the 
lines  of  the  rush-bottomed  chairs  that  are  used 
for  dining-chairs.  The  mantel,  framed  in  white 
wood,  is  hung  with  rare  porringers,  ranging  from 
large  to  baby  size.  There  is  a  restful  atmosphere 
about  this  room,  that,  combined  with  its  perfect 
setting,  is  most  refreshing.  At  the  farther  end 
of  the  room,  French  doors  open  upon  the  sun  par- 
lor which  is  used  during  the  summer  months  for  a 
breakfast-room.  This  overlooks  the  garden. 

The  bedrooms  up-stairs  are  large  and  airy,  each 
one  of  them  being  carefully  furnished  with  Colonial 
pieces  which  include  four-posters,  high  and  low- 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

boys  as  well  as  quaint,  old-time  chests  of  drawers 
that  can  do  service  as  bureaus,  or  as  storage  space 
for  extra  blankets,  hangings,  or  rugs. 

The  floors  throughout  the  entire  house  are  of 
hard  wood,  many  of  them  being  the  original  ones 
that  were  laid  when  the  house  was  built.  Rare  old 
Chippendale,  Sheraton,  and  Hepplewhite  chairs 
are  used  in  the  furnishings,  while  hand-woven 
rugs  cover  the  floors.  The  windows  are  screened 
by  chintz  hangings  of  bright  colors  and  gay 
designs,  and  the  whole  house  presents  a  sunny, 
restful  atmosphere. 

If  At  the  rear  of  the  house  an  ell  has  been  added 
where  the  new  kitchen  with  all  modern  conven- 
iences, pantries,  servants'  dining  and  sitting  rooms 
are  found.  Thus  while  the  exterior  features 
of  the  old  house  have  been  carefully  preserved, 
the  addition  of  the  ell  gives  comfort  and  conven- 
ience to  the  new  building. 

Shrubbery  has  been  planted  around  the  house, 
and  a  veranda  thrown  out;  window-boxes  filled 
with  brilliantly  blossoming  plants  add  a  bit  of 
color  to  the  remodeled  farmhouse  which  is  painted 
red  with  white  trim.  Velvety  lawns  have  re- 
placed the  old-time  farming  lands,  and  the  plant- 
ing of  trees  has  done  much  to  add  to  the  pictur- 

[134] 


The  Hall  and  Stairway 


The  Living  Room 
THE  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 


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THE  DOCTOR  CHARLES  E.  INCHES  HOUSE 

esqueness  of  this  estate.  The  grounds  themselves 
are  extensive,  covering  forty-five  acres,  and  the 
natural  beauties  are  unusually  varied.  Broad 
stretches  of  fields  and  hills  intersected  with  trees 
make  a  most  appropriate  setting  for  the  old  Adams 
homestead. 


[i3Sl 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE   CHARLES   MARTIN   LOEFFLER  HOUSE 

IT  was  a  staircase  that  was  responsible  for  the 
remodeling  of  one  house  which  had  no  other 
unusual  feature.  It  was  designed  by  a  village  car- 
penter whose  object  was  four  walls  and  a  shelter 
rather  than  architectural  beauty.  The  structure 
was  so  simple  and  unobtrusive  that  it  did  not 
arouse  any  enthusiasm  in  the  heart  of  the  archi- 
tect who  examined  it,  for  it  presented  no  chance 
to  show  his  ability  in  its  remodeling.  It  was  the 
kind  of  a  farmhouse  that  one  would  find  in  almost 
any  suburban  town,  built  without  any  pretensions, 
its  only  good  feature  being  the  staircase  which 
saved  it  from  passing  into  oblivion  and  caused  it 
to  be  remodeled  into  a  charming,  all-the-year-round 
home. 

It  had  been  unoccupied  for  a  long  period  and 
with  exterior  weather-beaten  and  interior  unin- 
habitable, it  presented  a  forlorn  appearance,  re- 
pelling to  most  would-be  purchasers.  It  stood 
by  the  side  of  a  traveled  road  and  in  its  best  days 

[136] 


THE  CHARLES  MARTIN  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 

was  occupied  by  a  farmer  and  his  family  who  cared 
more  for  the  barn  adjoining  the  house  than  they 
did  for  the  farmhouse  itself. 

The  estate  was  a  large  one  that  had  been 
neglected  and  allowed  to  run  down  until  weeds 
and  rank  grass  were  so  intermingled  that  it  seemed 
a  discouraging  task  to  bring  it  back  into  a  good 
state  of  cultivation.  Adjoining  the  house,  and 
connected  with  it  by  a  shed,  was  a  large  barn  with 
sagging  roof  and  so  dilapidated  that  it  seemed 
past  restoring.  Across  the  front,  defining  the 
estate,  was  once  a  neat  paling  fence  that  had  been 
torn  down  until  only  a  small  portion  remained. 

Many  acres  of  the  estate  were  meadow-land 
which  swept  to  the  horizon  of  trees,  yet  the  once 
fine  apple  orchard,  though  sadly  in  need  of  pruning, 
showed  promise,  and  there  were  possibilities  in 
the  whole  estate  that  needed  only  attention 
and  development  to  make  them  profitable.  There 
had  been  no  one  to  care  for  the  old  house,  and  it 
stood  discouraged  by  the  roadside  awaiting  a 
sympathetic  owner. 

It  was  in  this  condition  when  first  seen  by  Mr. 
Charles  Martin  Loeffler,  whose  experienced  eye 
discerned  its  possibilities.  It  is  the  wise  man 
who  fits  his  house  to  his  grounds  and  who  in  the 

[1371 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

general  scheme  considers  its  surroundings.  The 
grass  land,  the  garden,  the  orchards,  the  fencing 
of  the  estate,  each  one  of  which  demands  separate 
treatment,  should  be  so  arranged  that  they  will 
be  profitable  in  the  end.  The  new  owner  realized 
this  and  also  that  he  could  not  be  too  careful  in 
combining  house  and  garden  so  that  they  would 
make  a  harmonious  whole. 

The  location  was  ideal,  quiet  and  retired  and 
exactly  what  had  been  most  desired,  so  the 
remodeling  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  careful 
architect,  who,  after  thoroughly  considering  the 
situation,  decided  it  could  not  be  done.  It  was 
then  that  Mr.  Loeifler  took  the  matter  into  his 
own  hands,  drawing  exact  plans  of  what  was 
necessary  to  achieve  the  desired  result,  and  it 
was  under  his  personal  direction  that  the  workmen 
began  to  remodel  the  unattractive  little  cottage. 
It  was  borne  in  mind  that  even  the  addition  of 
a  porch  or  veranda  must  be  carefully  considered 
to  avoid  confusion  of  architecture  so  that  the 
house  itself,  when  finished,  should  follow  a  single 
idea  and  not  a  composite  mass  of  details  that  were 
entirely  out  of  place  and  in  bad  taste.  It  was 
realized  that  no  house,  no  matter  how  situated, 
should  have  discordant  surroundings.  Out-build- 

[138] 


D 

O 

DC 


O          W 


-o 

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u 


THE  CHARLES  MARTIN  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 

ings  should  not  be  allowed  to  mar  the  symmetry 
of  the  house  and  should  be  removed  so  that  they 
would  not  be  an  eyesore  but  in  keeping  with  the 
general  plan. 

The  house  itself,  however,  demanded  attention 
first;  it  was  very  small,  with  a  pitched  roof  in 
the  upper  story  and  a  long  ell  connecting  it  with 
the  farm  buildings.  The  exterior  was  left  prac- 
tically as  when  first  purchased,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  small  and  well-planned  porch  at  the 
front,  a  long  ell  for  servants'  quarters,  and  a 
wide  veranda  at  the  rear  that  extended  the  entire 
length  of  the  house.  In  the  porch  settles  were 
added  on  either  side  which  help  to  give  the  house  an 
air  of  dignity  and  invite  the  guest  to  rest  and 
enjoy  the  beautiful  scenery. 

The  screened-in  veranda  at  the  back  is  used  as 
an  out-of-doors  living-room.  It  is  wide,  carpeted 
with  rugs,  and  furnished  with  simple  but  sub- 
stantial pieces.  It  is  a  most  comfortable  place, 
where  charming  views  and  wonderful  vistas  can 
be  enjoyed,  for  beyond  lie  the  old  orchard  with 
the  meadows  between  and  a  background  of  finger- 
pointed  pines  that  seemingly  melt  into  the  blue 
of  the  sky.  Trellises  were  built  on  the  garden 
side  of  the  house  to  carry  vines,  but  this  was 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

after  the  house  had  been  given  a  coat  of  white 
paint  and  the  blinds  painted  green.  Over  the 
veranda  a  balcony  was  built  which  can  be  used 
for  outdoor  sleeping  purposes  if  desired.  The 
picket  fence  was  restored  and  painted  white 
to  match  the  coloring  of  the  house,  and  a  stone 
wall  was  built  at  the  farther  end  to  enclose  the 
garden ;  on  the  outside  wild  shrubs  were  planted 
to  give  a  note  of  color  to  the  gray  stone.  The 
old  trees,  pruned,  took  on  a  new  life  and  are  now 
in  a  most  flourishing  condition;  across  the  entire 
front,  as  a  partial  screening,  silver-leafed  poplars 
were  planted.  The  farm  lands  were  reclaimed, 
new  trees  planted  in  the  old  apple  orchard,  and 
at  the  side  of  the  house  an  attractive  garden 
was  laid  out  with  a  background  of  apple-trees. 
It  was  a  small  garden,  only  about  an  eighth  of 
an  acre  in  size,  and  filled  with  old-fashioned  flowers 
to  make  it  harmonize  with  the  period  in  which 
the  house  was  built.  A  single  path  divides  it 
in  two,  and  its  color  schemes  have  been  given 
careful  study. 

At  one  side  of  the  garden  a  rustic  pergola  has 
been  built  with  a  central  path  of  grass,  and  over 
this  a  grapevine  has  been  trained  which  makes 
it  a  restful,  shady  place  in  summer,  while  in  early 

[140] 


THE  CHARLES  MARTIN  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 

fall  the  vines  are  loaded  with  great  clusters  of 
purple  grapes.  Everywhere  surrounding  the  gar- 
den are  stretches  of  green  lawns  that  prove  a  fitting 
setting  to  the  bright  blossoms  in  the  trim  and  well- 
kept  beds.  The  fields  beyond  have  been  brought 
back  to  a  good  state  of  cultivation  and  present 
a  beautiful  green  tract  beyond  which  stretch  rich 
meadows  with  waving  grass  where  flit  the  bobo- 
link and  the  red-winged  blackbird.  In'  the  trees 
around  the  house  orioles  and  robins  nest,  while 
everywhere  the  old  apple-trees  grow,  many  of  them 
gnarled  and  twisted  with  age.  In  the  early  fall, 
loaded  with  fruit,  theyt  form  an  attractive  color 
note  of  red  and  yellow  in  the  landscape.  Great 
care  has  been  taken  to  remove  the  branches  of 
the  old  trees  in  order  to  afford  attractive  vistas. 
This  gives  a  landscape  picture  carefully  planned 
and  creates  a  delightful  feeling  of  restfulness  and 
a  sense  of  relief  from  the  bustle  of  city  life. 

Over  the  porch  has  been  built  a  lattice  to  be 
covered  eventually  with  rambler  roses,  and  in 
order  to  obtain  more  light,  clusters  of  windows 
have  been  let  in  on  either  side  of  the  front"  door. 

The  interior  as  well  as  the  exterior  has  been 
carefully  planned  with  a  regard  to  light  and 
views.  One  enters  the  house  through  the  little 

[141] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

porch  and  finds  himself  in  a  spacious  hallway 
which  extends  to  the  living-room.  The  staircase 
is  at  the  right  of  the  entrance.  It  is  not  a  primi- 
tive affair  of  the  ladder  type  which  is  the  earliest 
on  record ;  neither  is  it  steep  with  flat  treads, 
high  risers  and  molded  box  stringers,  but  the 
kind  that  shows  simple  posts  and  rail  with  plain 
balusters.  It  is  of  the  box  stringer  type  and  has 
no  carving  in  either  post  or  balusters ;  it  is 
perfectly  straight  and  leads  by  easy  treads  to  the 
second-story  floor. 

The  dining-room  is  at  the  left  of  the  hallway 
and  is  a  room  built  for  comfort  and  for  every- 
day life,  showing  plenty  of  windows.  A  feature  is 
the  great,  open  fireplace  and  the  bricked  chimney- 
breast,  with  small  closets  at  one  side.  The  wood- 
work in  this  room  is  the  same  that  was  in  the 
house  when  it  was  discovered  by  Mr.  Loeffler 
and,  cleaned  and  treated  to  a  coat  of  paint,  is 
most  attractive.  The  wide  board  floor  has  been 
retained  and  stained  dark  to  bring  out  the  color 
schemes  of  the  rugs. 

This  room  leads  directly  into  the  living-room 
which  extends  entirely  across  the  house  and  is 
also  entered  from  the  hallway.  Its  windows 
face  the  green  fields  studded  with  trees  and  also 

[142] 


Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room 
THE  CHARLES  M.  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 


The  Dining  Room 


The  Music  Room  in  the  Studio  Building 
THE  CHARLES  M.  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 


THE  CHARLES  MARTIN  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 

overlook  the  old-fashioned  garden  which  is  near 
enough  to  the  house  so  that  every  summer  breeze 
wafts  the  perfume  of  its  flowers  to  the  occupants. 
A  central  feature  is  a  bricked-in  fireplace  that  has 
been  built  into  the  room.  Instead  of  plastering, 
the  old  oaken  cross  beams  have  been  left  in  their 
original  state,  and  the  room  is  finished  with  a 
wainscot  painted  white,  above  which  is  a  wall 
covering  of  Japanese  grass-cloth.  Bookcases  form 
an  important  furnishing  of  this  room  which  also 
contains  many  pieces  of  antique  furniture.  It  is 
a  cheerful,  homelike  apartment,  into  which  the  sun 
shines  practically  all  day  long.  Through  large 
French  windows  one  steps  from  the  living-room 
on  to  the  veranda.  The  second  story  is  devoted 
to  chambers  and  bath. 

Its  location  has  a  distinctive  charm,  as  it  is 
not  too  near  the  city  or  too  far  away  from 
neighbors.  It  is  well  adapted  for  outdoor  living, 
with  its  wide,  inviting  veranda  and  the  side  garden 
where  bloom  the  stately  phlox,  the  gaudy  poppies, 
and  the  bright-hued  marigold. 

As  time  went  on,  the  house  grew  too  small  for 
the  owner's  needs,  and  so  another  house  just 
across  the  way  that  had  passed  its  prime  and 
stood  desolate  and  deserted  was  also  purchased 

[I43l 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

and  remodeled  into  a  studio,  one  room  expressly 
designed  for  Mr.  Loeffler's  work,  —  large  and 
commodious  with  high,  vaulted  ceiling.  Here, 
too,  a  veranda  was  built  across  one  end  that  can 
be  used  if  need  be  for  an  outdoor  living-room. 
It  is  shaded  by  many  trees,  more  especially  some 
fine  old  elms  whose  graceful  branches  shadow  the 
house,  while  a  stretch  of  lawn  extends  to  the 
street.  Across  the  front  a  paling  fence  corre- 
sponding in  style  to  that  across  the  street  was 
built,  entrance  being  through  a  swinging  gate 
that  leads  directly  to  the  outside  porch.  This 
house  shows  less  remodeling  than  the  first  one; 
it  is  principally  in  the  interior  that  changes  have 
been  made.  The  whole  front  of  the  house  is  made 
into  a  music-room  of  unusual  type,  being  hung 
with  pictures  of  the  old  masters.  Here  the 
second-story  flooring  has  been  removed,  and  the 
ceiling  vaulted  and  sheathed,  in  order  to  secure 
acoustic  properties. 

A  large  chimney  has  been  introduced  into  the 
inner  wall,  with  brick  mantel  and  chimney  breast, 
and  big  enough  to  hold  a  six-foot  log.  The 
floors  are  of  polished  hardwood,  and  the  orna- 
mentation shows  Chinese  ships  hung  upon  the 
walls,  —  an  interesting  feature  for  interior  decora- 

[144] 


THE  CHARLES  ;MARTIN  LOEFFLER  HOUSE 

tion.  The  room  is  entered  through  French  win- 
dows that  lead  on  to  the  outside  porch. 

In  addition  to  the  music-room,  this  house  is 
also  used  for  the  caretaker  and  week-end  guests. 
The  long  ell  at  one  side  is  used  for  the  former, 
while  at  the  back  of  the  music-room  several  rooms 
are  fitted  up  for  the  use  of  guests,  thus  solving 
a  problem  that  is  to-day  vexing  the  minds  of 
many  a  house  owner,  more  especially  in  subur- 
ban towns. 

There  is  about  the  whole  place  a  restfulness 
that  has  been  achieved  by  careful  planning  and 
attention  to  details.  There  is  no  part  of  the 
estate  where  one  may  wander  without  coming 
upon  picturesque  bits  of  landscape,  that  while 
apparently  in  their  natural  state,  yet  are  restored 
and  preserved  with  a  true  appreciation  of  nature. 
This  estate  is  a  lesson  in  reclaiming  and  remodeling 
that  cannot  fail  to  be  instructive  to  all  home  build- 
ers. It  goes  to  show  that  forethought  and  in- 
genuity can  create  a  comfortable  and  inviting 
home  in  the  midst  of  desolation,  and  transform 
an  old  dilapidated  cottage  into  a  charming  and 
picturesque  abode. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

LITTLE   ORCHARD 

THE  old  farmhouse  can  well  be  copied  as  a 
type  for  the  modern  summer  home,  for  its  lines 
are  excellent,  and  its  design  is  often  so  striking 
that  it  lends  itself  to  easy  reproduction.  To  the 
house  owner  of  to-day  it  may  seem  a  little  strange 
that,  with  the  trend  of  modern  improvements, 
the  old  houses  should  be  used  for  this  purpose, 
and  the  architecture  of  the  master  builders  of 
long  ago  shown  preference  over  that  of  modern 
architects  who  have  given  their  life  to  this  subject. 

The  builders  and  designers  of  old  houses  had  to 
depend  on  their  own  ideas  or  possibly  on  a  few 
designs  that  were  sent  over  in  the  cumbersome 
ships  that  plied  between  England  and  the  new 
country,  —  the  work  of  Sir  Christopher  Wren, 
one  of  the  most  celebrated  architects  of  his  day. 

There  are  no  more  satisfactory  details  of  house 
construction  than  we  find  in  these  old  houses, 
where  fireplaces,  doors,  porches,  and  carving 
show  individuality.  These  ideas,  modified  and 


LITTLE  ORCHARD 

improved  upon,  are  found  in  many  a  twentieth- 
century  home,  lending  a  dignity  and  charm  that 
would  otherwise  be  lacking. 

If  you  are  remodeling  an  old  house  and  wish 
to  change  a  fireplace  that  is  unsatisfactory  or  a 
stairway  that  is  not  artistic  in  design,  do  not  intro- 
duce modern  ideas,  but  rather  seek  for  an  old 
house  that  is  being  torn  down  and  from  it  take 
bits  that  will  satisfactorily  fit  into  the  work  of 
remodeling.  It  is  not  a  hard  matter  to  find  de- 
tails of  this  kind,  for  many  an  old  farmhouse  has 
been  neglected  so  long  that  it  is  past  redemption, 
and  it  is  the  blending  of  the  old  with  the  old  that 
does  much  to  keep  distinctive  the  period  that  you 
are  seeking  to  preserve. 

Sometimes  the  house  has  been  badly  mutilated, 
often  to  such  an  extent  that  its  best  features  are 
disguised,  and  it  is  a  serious  problem  to  eliminate 
the  wrong  ideas  and  duplicate  the  original.  The 
old  craftsmen  before  Colonial  times  were  apt  to 
build  houses  along  certain  lines  which  often  failed 
to  bring  proper  results ;  details  varied  and  some- 
times were  incongruous  with  the  type  of  the  house. 
The  first  houses  were  generally  one-roomed; 
later,  other  rooms  like  units  were  gathered  around 
it,  and  the  result  in  some  cases  was  the  appear- 

[147] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

ance  of  a  lean-to.  Later  on  came  the  ell,  and, 
to  save  steps,  chambers  were  designed  on  the  lower 
floor,  leading  off  the  main  rooms  of  the  houses. 
Naturally  in  houses  of  this  kind  the  largest 
room  was  the  kitchen,  for  this  was  the  family 
living-room,  more  especially  during  the  cold 
weather. 

We  will  find  as  we  examine  an  old  farmhouse 
that  the  dominant  portion  of  the  building  was  the 
first  floor,  and  that  the  chambers  were  adapted 
to  the  lower-story  plan.  These  were  not  always 
satisfactory,  as  little  or  no  care  was  given  to  the 
arrangement  of  the  rooms,  and  in  many  houses 
closets  were  little  considered.  The  partitions 
between  these  rooms  were  not  double,  like  those 
found  to-day,  but  were  made  of  matched  board 
and  accommodated  themselves  to  the  frame- 
work. Later  on  plastering  came  into  vogue  and 
this  made  the  rooms  warmer  and  much  more 
habitable. 

The  windows  were  generally  spaced  carefully 
and  were  in  harmony  with  the  front  door,  making 
an  attractive  exterior.  The  walls  were  of  wood, 
often  with  a  layer  of  brick  to  keep  out  the  cold 
and  also  to  form  a  better  protection.  The  roofs, 
more  especially  in  the  early  houses,  were  very 

[148] 


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4-t  gg 

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4-1  X 

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bJD 

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LITTLE  ORCHARD 

steep,  since  they  were  planned  for  thatching; 
later  on,  when  shingles  came  into  use,  they  grew 
lower  and  wider.  It  was  not  until  1700  that 
the  gambrel  roof  came  into  style.  In  considering 
the  evolution  of  the  house  we  must  look  back- 
ward, and  thus  we  come  to  realize  the  progres- 
sion of  architecture.  We  then  discover  that 
every  old  house  shows  interesting  features,  and 
it  is  the  house  with  a  history  that  makes  its 
greatest  appeal  to  the  antiquarian ;  while  the  re- 
vival of  Colonial  architecture  brings  a  renewed 
interest  in  the  history  of  that  period. 

There  is  no  more  attractive  remodeled  farm- 
house than  that  of  Mr.  Roland  C.  Lincoln,  which 
is  a  charming,  rambling,  summer  home  situated 
on  the  Gloucester  road  half  way  between  Man- 
chester-by-the-Sea  and  Magnolia.  It  is  a  low, 
yellow  cottage,  picturesquely  placed  against  a 
background  of  trees  and  nestled  on  the  side  of  a 
hill  seemingly  as  if  it  had  been  there  for  centuries. 
At  the  front  is  the  ocean,  while  surrounding  it 
is  well-placed  shrubbery  and  artistically  trained 
vines. 

The  grounds  are  just  at  the  left  of  the  main 
road  and  separated  from  it  by  a  low  stone  wall; 
the  entrance  is  by  a  driveway  at  one  side  that 

[149] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

winds  to  an  entrance  porch.  All  around  the 
house  are  carefully  trimmed  lawns  and  gardens 
gay  with  flowers,  while  the  soft  expanse  of  green 
sward  extends  to  the  shadowing  trees  and  the 
background  of  forest  and  rock.  The  house  was 
built  two  hundred  and  fifteen  years  ago.  At 
that  time  it  stood  on  the  road  and  was  overshad- 
owed by  the  very  oldest  house  there  was  in  the 
town,  which  stood  on  the  crest  of  an  adjoining 
hill.  It  then  contained  four  rooms  only,  each 
one  of  which  was  thirteen  and  a  half  feet  square. 
Surrounding  the  old  farmhouse  was  an  orchard 
of  apple-trees  that  even  in  the  early  days  gave  to 
it  its  present  name  of  Little  Orchard. 

The  possibilities  of  the  little  cottage,  as  it 
stood  forlorn  by  the  side  of  the  road,  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  present  owner,  who  purchased 
it,  moved  it  back  from  the  road  to  its  present 
location,  and  remodeled  it,  adding  a  wing  at  the 
left.  The  old  front  door  was  improved  by  the 
addition  of  a  semicircular  porch  which  is  an  exact 
reproduction  of  the  porch  on  the  White  house  at 
Salem,  Massachusetts.  The  side  porch  was  unique 
and  most  picturesque  in  its  design.  Ivy  has 
been  trained  to  cover  the  veranda  and  outline 
many  of  the  windows. 

[150] 


LITTLE  ORCHARD 

At  the  rear,  facing  the  garden  with  its  frontage 
of  gnarled  apple-trees,  we  find  the  veranda  or 
out-of-doors  living-room.  This  is  used  during 
the  summer  months  and  commands  one  of  the 
most  picturesque  views  on  the  estate,  overlooking 
lawns  and  forest. 

Entrance  to  the  old  house  is  through  the  porch, 
and  one  finds  himself  in  a  most  charming  hall- 
way, at  one  side  of  which  is  an  alcoved  recess. 
This  is  hung  in  blue  and  white  Morris  paper. 
Near  the  front  door  at  the  right  is  the  staircase 
which  leads  with  low  treads  and  broad  landing 
to  the  second-story  floor;  it  has  a  hand-carved 
balustrade  with  a  mahogany  rail,  while  its  newel 
post  shows  fine  carving.  Half  way  up  between 
two  huge  beams  have  been  placed  some  wonderful 
old  pieces  of  china  of  the  Colonial  period,  and 
under  them  is  the  quaint  inscription,  a  welcome 
to  the  home,  "In  God's  hands  stands  this  house, 
may  good  luck  come  to  it  and  bad  luck  go  out  of 
it."  The  staircase  is  reproduced  from  a  partic- 
ularly fine  model  found  in  a  house  in  Boston  that 
was  originally  the  home  of  one  of  America's 
greatest  statesmen,  Edward  Everett.  It  fits  into 
its  new  surroundings  as  if  it  had  always  been 
there  and  is  exactly  the  type  one  would  expect 

[151] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

to  find  in  such  a  house  as  this.  There  is  a  fine  old 
cabinet  near  the  staircase  that  is  considered  one 
of  the  best  pieces  in  the  country.  Inside  is  an 
entire  tea-set  of  Lowestoft  originally  brought  to 
Manchester  by  one  of  the  old  sea  captains  as  a 
commercial  venture  and  placed  on  sale.  It  was 
purchased  by  the  present  owner  and  holds  a 
prominent  place  in  her  collection. 

At  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  inside  the  front  door, 
the  name  of  the  house  has  been  done  in  burnt 
wood.  Mrs.  Lincoln  arranged  to  have  this  exe- 
cuted while  she  was  traveling  abroad  and  when 
talking  with  the  workman  she  told  him  the  story 
of  her  remodeled  farmhouse  and  why  it  was 
named  Little  Orchard.  He  was  very  much  inter- 
ested in  her  description,  and  when  the  inscription 
was  finished,  it  bore  not  only  the  name,  but  decor- 
ations in  each  corner  of  tiny  little  apples. 

At  the  end  of  the  entrance  hall  is  the  dining- 
room  which  is  long  and  well  lighted  by  many 
windows  on  two  sides.  This  was  a  part  of  the 
original  house,  enlarged  and  added  to.  Here 
we  find  the  low  stud  and  the  beamed  ceiling  so 
prevalent  in  houses  of  that  day.  It  is  hung  with 
a  most  interesting  Morris  paper  done  in  pink 
and  blue,  and  at  one  end  is  a  recessed  sideboard. 


The  Stairway 
LITTLE  ORCHARD 


The  Entrance  Porch 


The  Dining  Room 
LITTLE  ORCHARD 


LITTLE  ORCHARD 

The  upper  part  of  this  is  used  as  a  china  cup- 
board, while  on  either  side  bookcases  have  been 
inserted.  The  furnishing  of  this  room  is  all  of 
the  Colonial  period;  the  chairs  are  Sheraton, 
as  is  also  the  sideboard.  The  fireplace  is  unusually 
good,  being  handsomely  carved  with  a  basket 
of  fruit  as  the  central  decoration. 

Opening  from  the  dining-room  is  the  living- 
room,  a  large,  square  room  with  beamed  ceiling, 
a  feature  being  a  built-in  bookcase  at  the  farther 
end.  On  the  walls  are  many  original  paintings 
including  one  by  the  late  William  H.  Hunt, 
"Tired  of  Work."  An  interesting  inglenook  is 
a  space-saving  device  that  has  been  introduced. 
Underneath  the  window-seat,  studded  in  brass 
nails,  is  the  name  of  the  house  again,  Little 
Orchard. 

.  The  reception-room  is  back  of  the  living-room 
and  shows  the  staircase  of  old  Colonial  design 
at  the  farther  end.  The  fireplace  was  taken 
from  a  house  which  once  sheltered  General  Lafay- 
ette. When  the  house  was  torn  down,  the  beauty 
of  the  carving  and  the  graceful  design  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  present  owner,  who  purchased 
it  for  his  remodeled  house.  When  it  was  brought 
home,  it  was  found  to  be  almost  impracticable, 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

through  being  so  badly  worm-eaten;  under  the 
hands  of  skilful  workmen,  however,  it  has  been 
thoroughly  renovated  and  is  now  a  prominent 
feature  of  the  room.  The  apartment  is  well 
lighted  by  many  windows,  each  one  of  which  is  of 
a  different  design.  These  have  been  perfectly 
planned,  and  there  is  no  discordant  note. 

The  second  story  has  been  so  arranged  that  all 
the  rooms  open  into  each  other  and  also  into  the 
hallway.  They  are  of  low  stud  and  contain 
dormer  windows.  The  Colonial  atmosphere  has 
been  carefully  observed,  so  that  new  pieces  which 
have  been  introduced  fit  in  harmoniously  with 
the  old  ones.  Each  room  has  a  large,  open  fire- 
place with  a  crane,  suggestive  of  good  cheer. 

The  success  of  this  house  has  been  attained 
through  the  careful  thought  of  the  owners,  and 
it  is  an  example  of  a  charmingly  remodeled  farm- 
house of  a  type  such  as  one  seldom  finds. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

WILLOWDALE 

SHOULD  you  chance  to  run  across  an  old  farm- 
house that  shows  good  interior  woodwork,  do  not 
carelessly  pass  it  by,  for  such  houses  are  not  easy 
to  discover.  You  must  realize  that  when  restored 
it  will  be  much  more  attractive  than  one  with  a 
plain  mopboard  and  narrow  cornice. 

Woodwork  was  not  of  the  Colonial  type  in  the 
earliest  houses;  it  was  used  merely  as  a  wall 
covering  and  was  called  wainscot,  the  same  as  it 
is  to-day.  This  was  because  the  paneling  was 
originally  made  from  wainscot  oak  which  was 
well  grained  and  without  knots.  Differing  from 
that  in  nineteenth-century  houses,  it  was  put  on 
the  walls  vertically,  the  boards  being  rough  and 
wide.  It  must  be  remembered  that  in  those 
days  trees  had  not  been  felled  to  any  extent,  and 
the  giants  of  the  forest  provided  the  best  of  lum- 
ber for  this  purpose.  These  boards  were  either 
lapped  or  put  together  with  tongue-strips.  Later 
on,  we  find  interiors  where  they  were  laid  hori- 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

zontally,  like  those  of  a  century  or  more  ago,  and 
instead  of  being  plain  boards,  were  well  finished. 

Wainscot  is  an  inheritance  from  our  early  ances- 
tors, for  in  the  manor  houses  in  the  mother  country 
there  is  wonderful  woodwork,  used  not  only  for 
wainscot,  but  for  other  parts  of  the  interior  finish. 
White  pine,  which  at  that  time  grew  abundantly  in 
our  native  woods,  was  employed  for  interior  as 
well  as  exterior  purposes,  this  being  more  especially 
true  in  the  northern  and  eastern  parts  of  the 
country,  where  it  was  more  plentiful.  It  has 
generally  been  conceded  that  this  wood  was  the 
best  on  account  of  its  wearing  properties,  and  as 
it  did  not  show  figure  in  either  the  grain  or  mark- 
ings. It  was  often  called  "cheese-like"  and  for 
this  reason  was  preferred  by  wood-carvers  and 
cabinetmakers  for  their  art. 

The  wainscot  was  used  until  about  the  time  of 
the  Revolution  and  not  until  a  later  period  were 
the  walls  plastered.  It  has  never  lost  its  popu- 
larity and  is  found  in  many  twentieth-cen- 
tury houses.  It  is  generally  shown  in  paneled 
effects  which  came  into  vogue  much  later  than 
the  plain  board  period.  This  woodwork  was 
generally  in  the  lower  story,  where  more  time 
and  thought  were  given  to  interior  finish;  very 

[156] 


WILLOWDALE 

rarely  is  it  found  in  the  chambers  and  then  only 
in  the  better  class  of  houses.  Wainscot  is  not 
the  only  interior  woodwork  used;  we  often  find 
whole  walls  finished  in  paneled  wood,  and  fire- 
places with  a  simple  frame  in  paneled  effects. 
Many  of  these  old  fireplaces  showed  a  wooden 
shelf  only,  while  later  on,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  fine  carvings  were  included. 
Occasionally  we  run  across  a  mantel  of  this  kind 
in  an  old  farmhouse,  but  it  is  very  rare. 

It  would  be  out  of  place  for  the  house  owner  to 
introduce  a  mantel  of  this  kind,  no  matter  how 
attractive,  in  some  types  of  old  farmhouses.  It 
would  not  be  in  keeping  with  the  style  and,  while 
handsome  and  graceful  in  design,  would  be  incon- 
gruous even  in  remodeled  surroundings. 

Door-frames  as  well  as  the  wainscot  betoken 
the  age  of  the  house,  for  in  the  earlier  ones  doors 
are  perfectly  plain  in  finish,  elaboration  in  design 
of  paneling  and  wood-carving  coming  into  play 
at  a  little  later  period.  Cornices  widened  and 
also  became  more  elaborate  as  house  building 
progressed,  and  a  century  after  the  first  wainscot 
was  used,  we  find  them  sometimes  several  inches 
in  width  and  showing  different  motives,  such  as 
the  egg  and  dart.  These  also  are  rarely  found  in 

[iS7l 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

an  old  farmhouse,  for  it  must  be  remembered 
that  our  early  ancestors  had  little  time  to  think 
out  elaboration  in  the  interior  finish  of  their 
homes  which  were  built  solely  as  shelters. 

In  the  reproductions  of  to-day  the  wide  boards  are 
not  easy  to  find,  unless  they  are  taken  from  some 
old  house.  One  of  the  most  valuable  boards  is  the 
pumpkin  pine  which  is  now  rarely  found,  having 
disappeared  from  the  New  England  forest  long 
ago.  Fortunate  is  the  house  owner  who  dis- 
covers this  wood  in  his  old  farmhouse,  for  it  is 
found  only  in  the  very  oldest  buildings.  The 
softness  of  the  wood  and  the  great  width  of  the 
boards  distinguish  it  from  the  white  pine. 

In  1695,  on  the  shores  of  Cape  Cod,  not  far 
from  Cataumet,  a  small  farmhouse  was  built,  with 
four  rooms  down-stairs  and  two  rooms  and  an 
unfinished  attic  above.  It  was  the  home  of  one 
of  the  early  settlers  and  stood  facing  the  highway, 
a  simple,  unpretentious  dwelling  of  no  particular 
design  and  incongruous  architecture.  Although 
it  had  been  substantially  built,  it  had  been  aban- 
doned for  many  years  and  was  in  a  most  dilapi- 
dated condition.  Originally  the  water  came  nearly 
to  its  door,  but  the  shore  line  gradually  had  re- 
ceded, so  when  first  discovered,  the  little  building 

[158] 


Before  Remodeling 


The  Front  View 
WILLOWDALE 


C 
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-a 


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WILLOWDALE 

stood  with  its  back  to  the  road,  and  its  face  to 
the  bare  meadows. 

Like  other  houses  of  this  early  period,  it  was 
guiltless  of  paint,  and  its  weather-beaten  sides 
showed  the  wear  and  exposure  of  many  years' 
conflict  with  the  elements.  To  transform  this 
house  into  a  summer  home  equipped  with  ac- 
commodations adequate  for  a  modern  family, 
was  a  difficult  problem.  The  proportions  of  the 
exterior  were  good  but  so  simple  that  in  order 
to  extend  the  original  quaint  outline  of  the  house 
without  marring  it,  the  additions  had  to  be  made 
with  unusual  care. 

The  first  step  was  to  carefully  study  the  period  for 
correct  remodeling  and  to  lay  out  the  five  acres  of 
grounds  to  balance  the  house  and  preserve  symme- 
try of  detail.  A  driveway  starts  at  the  entrance, 
where  on  a  high  pole  swings  a  shield-like  sign  with 
a  red  background  and  showing  the  name  of  the 
house,  Willowdale,  in  white.  The  estate  is  defined 
by  a  fence,  and  the  house  in  its  remodeled  state 
is  attractively  located  on  rising  land,  many  feet 
back  from  the  main  highway. 

A  hundred  years  after  the  house  was  built,  a 
new  highway  was  opened  at  the  rear;  thus  the 
front  or  south  side  was  wholly  screened  from 

[iS9l 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

observation,  and  it  was  here  that  the  new  owner 
decided  to  lay  out  his  garden.  It  is  enclosed 
by  a  high  fence  painted  white,  with  latticed 
panels  stained  green ;  at  the  end  a  summer- 
house  was  erected,  whose  axis  is  the  central  path 
of  flat  stepping-stones  that  leads  to  the  quaint 
porch  entrance.  Its  three  outer  sides  extend 
beyond  the  fence  and  command  a  broad  view  of 
the  picturesque  shore  territory.  The  garden 
proper  is  of  the  old-fashioned  type,  in  conformity 
with  the  old-time  atmosphere  of  the  estate,  and 
the  same  sorts  of  flowers  thrive  in  the  trim  beds 
that  bloomed  no  doubt  in  the  first  owner's  garden. 
Trailing  vines  conceal  the  fence  outlining  this 
plot  from  view.  The  only  distinctive  modern 
touch  and  yet  one  quite  in  harmony  with  the 
quaintness  of  the  grounds  is  a  large  crystal  gazing- 
bowl.  This  reflects  in  its  luminous  surface  the 
nodding  heads  of  the  flowers,  the  floating  clouds, 
the  children  dashing  past,  or  the  still  loveliness 
of  the  summer  sunset  which  preludes  the  night. 

The  original  house  had  been  substantially  built, 
and  while  appearing  dilapidated,  few  of  the  shin- 
gles needed  replacing  even  after  two  hundred  years' 
wear.  In  the  interior  comparatively  few  repairs 
were  necessary,  paint  and  paper  being  the  prin- 

[160! 


WILLOWDALE 

cipal  requisites.  Additions  had  to  be  made  to 
secure  the  needed  room,  and  the  first  problem 
was  to  arrange  these  to  conform  with  the  original 
quaint  outline.  The  old  part  was  of  the  old  farm- 
house type,  low  of  build.  To  the  right  a  wing 
was  built  to  contain  three  bedrooms  and  a  bath- 
room, and  to  balance  this  a  broad,  covered  ve- 
randa was  added  at  the  left ;  behind  this,  at  the 
rear,  quarters  for  the  kitchen,  servants'  hall,  and 
chambers  were  thrown  out.  There  was  need 
of  more  light  for  the  second-floor  rooms  in  the 
old  building,  so  dormers  were  inserted  in  the  deep 
pitched  roof  at  the  front. 

The  exterior  was  then  painted  dark  red  with  a 
white  trim,  following  the  style  of  the  first  painted 
houses.  Whether  the  red  was  used  for  economy's 
sake  or  not  is  a  question,  but  it  probably  was, 
and  proved  most  appropriate.  Yellow  was  the 
next  coloring  used,  which  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  it  is  sometimes  found  with  red  underneath; 
the  white  paint  came  into  vogue  still  later. 

Over  the  front  door  a  small  porch  was  built 
which  was  in  strict  keeping  with  the  period.  Trel- 
lises were  erected  at  one  side  of  the  house  for 
rambler  roses  and  vines  that  would  break  the 
plain,  solid  effect  of  the  shingled  surface.  An 

[161] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

old-fashioned  well  was  boxed  in,  at  the  rear  of 
the  kitchen  entrance,  and  furnishes  drinking- 
water  for  the  family.  The  old  chimney  was 
retained,  so  that  the  fireplaces  could  be  used. 

When  the  house  was  first  built,  there  were  two 
rooms  at  the  front  and  at  the  rear  a  kitchen, 
kitchen-bedroom,  and  a  dairy.  The  three  small 
rooms  were  thrown  into  one  large  room  which  is 
now  used  as  a  dining-room.  When  the  plaster 
was  scraped  off  from  the  ceiling,  it  was  found 
that  there  were  hand-hewn  beams  underneath 
in  such  a  good  state  of  preservation  that  they 
were  left  uncovered,  giving  to  the  new  apart- 
ment a  distinctive  touch.  It  was  then  discovered 
that  the  house  had  been  built  around  a  tree,  for 
a  substantial  oak,  with  its  roots  deep  in  the 
ground  and  its  large  trunk  still  shouldering  the 
roof  beam,  was  disclosed.  Underneath  the  old 
paper  was  found  fine  wood  paneling  which  was 
scraped  and  painted  white;  next  the  fireplace 
was  opened,  and  proved  to  be  eight  feet  wide  with 
a  swinging  crane  at  the  back.  This  was  restored 
to  its  original  size,  and  a  square,  brick  hearth 
was  laid.  The  old  floors  were  replaced  by  new 
ones,  and  the  entire  room  was  given  the  tone  of 
the  period.  Rag  rugs  are  laid  on  the  floor,  and 

[162] 


A   Rear  View 


The  Living  Room 

WlLLOWDALE 


Two  of  the  Chambers 

WlLLOWDALE 


WILLOWDALE 

all  the  furniture  represents  seventeenth-century 
pieces.  At  one  end  of  the  room  is  the  dining- 
table,  and  at  the  farther  side,  large  French  windows 
hung  with  chintz  open  on  to  a  vine-clad  veranda. 

The  parlor,  which  opened  from  the  dining-room, 
was  covered  with  many  layers  of  dirty  wall-paper. 
When  these  were  removed,  it  was  discovered  that 
there  was  a  very  fine  wainscoting.  In  one  corner 
was  a  three-cornered  cupboard  with  a  paneled 
door  underneath.  The  fireplace  was  opened  up, 
and  when  the  room  was  painted  it  developed 
into  one  of  the  most  charming  rooms  in  the  house. 
The  paneling  was  painted  just  off  the  white,  and 
the  walls  were  hung  with  soft,  gray  paper  with 
tiny  pink  flowers,  making  the  color  scheme  of  the 
room  gray  and  pink.  This  was  carried  out  in 
all  the  furnishings,  —  the  chintz  used  for  cushions 
and  the  hangings  harmonizing  with  these  tones. 
Instead  of  having  all  the  furniture  of  the  Colonial 
period,  comfortable  willow  chairs  were  introduced, 
in  order  to  give  the  light,  airy  touch  that  makes 
a  summer  home  distinctive.  This  is  a  large, 
livable  room,  well-lighted  by  many  windows  and 
looking  out  upon  the  lawn  and  the  garden. 

The  hallway  is  of  the  plain,  simple  type  which 
was  so  common  in  the  oldest  houses.  The  walls 

[163] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

are  covered  with  a  reproduction  of  an  old-time 
landscape  paper,  and  the  passage  forms  the  divi- 
sion line  between  the  old  sitting-room  and  the 
dining-room.  This  dining-room  is  now  used  as 
a  chamber;  it  is  large  and  sunny  with  a  wide- 
open  fireplace.  It  is  furnished  with  an  Empire 
bed  and  shows  everything  that  would  have  been 
found  in  the  early  days  in  a  chamber  of  this  kind, 
even  to  the  spirit  lamp  that  stands  on  the  high 
mantel,  the  warming-pan  beside  the  generous 
fireplace,  the  oval  mirror,  and  the  wooden  cradle 
with  its  hand-woven  blanket,  where  now  sleeps 
a  twentieth-century  baby. 

On  the  second  story  the  rooms  have  been  re- 
modeled and  show  the  same  good  taste  which 
prevails  all  through  the  house.  The  unfinished 
attic  has  been  plastered,  papered,  and  converted 
into  two  bedrooms  which  are  equipped  with  the 
old-time  furnishings  and  are  used  primarily  as 
guest  rooms.  The  gable  windows  make  them 
light  and  airy  and  at  the  same  time  afford  a 
charming  glimpse  of  the  garden,  heavy  with  the 
fragrance  of  the  sweet-smelling  blossoms,  much 
as  it  was  two  centuries  ago. 

Willowdale  is  one  of  the  most  comfortable  and 
well  appointed  of  the  many  remodeled  houses 

[164] 


WILLOWDALE 

that  are  found  in  New  England.  It  is  the  posses- 
sion of  such  a  quantity  of  fine  old  woodwork  that 
has  given  the  house  its  distinctive  atmosphere, 
though  this  has  been  preserved  and  heightened 
by  the  good  taste  of  the  present  residents,  who 
have  succeeded  in  making  it  a  most  livable  dwell- 
ing. Every  room  is  well  lighted  and  well  venti- 
lated, yet  the  house  maintains  in  its  renovated 
state  all  the  quaintness  and  charm  of  a  seventeenth- 
century  home.  It  is  a  fine  example  of  how  an 
old  house  can  be  remodeled  with  little  trouble 
and  expense,  and  how  the  old  and  new  can  be 
combined  harmoniously. 


[165] 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   GEORGE    E.    BARNARD   ESTATE 

IN  remodeling  a  farmhouse,  one  should  plan 
to  build  wide  verandas,  overlooking  pleasing 
views.  These  can  be  glass-enclosed,  so  that 
during  inclement  weather  one  need  not  stay  in- 
doors. Outdoor  life  is  a  part  of  the  essentials 
in  planning  a  summer  home,  and  it  means  so 
much  to  the  house  owner  that  every  possible  means 
should  be  devised  to  secure  it.  With  this  object 
in  view,  why  not  lay  out  around  the  house  attrac- 
tive flower  beds  ?  Just  a  plain  lawn  does  not  mean 
much,  but  planted  with  trees,  effective  shrubbery, 
and  well-planned  gardens,  it  furnishes  an  induce- 
ment to  sit  on  the  porch  and  watch  the  ever 
changing  views. 

In  attempting  this  work,  plan  for  vistas,  well- 
selected  spaces  through  which  one  can  get  glimpses 
of  the  world  beyond.  Have  an  objective  point 
in  view,  so  that  the  beauty  of  the  setting  sun  and 
the  clouds  clothed  in  rainbow  hues  make  it  more 
attractive.  Panorama  effects  are  always  inter- 

[166] 


Before  Remodeling 


The  Front  of  the  House 
THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  HOUSE 


<u 

h 


u 

-C 

h 


THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  ESTATE 

esting  and  are  obtained  through  judicious  planting, 
for  one  must  remember  that  a  plain  level  lawn  in 
itself  has  few  features  that  attract.  Let  the 
units  be  carefully  spaced,  and  if  there  are  walks 
or  drives  near  the  house,  lay  them  out  where  they 
will  not  detract  from  the  picturesque  effect  that 
you  desire.  An  exception  can  be  made  with 
the  English  or  flag  treads,  which  make  a  charm- 
ing adjunct  to  the  grounds  when  grass  grown. 

In  the  early  days,  the  first  settlers  had  their 
flower  beds  close  to  the  house,  probably  because 
they  did  not  then  interfere  with  garden  space. 
The  effect  was  pleasing,  for  it  added  to  the  simple 
attraction  of  the  early  building.  It  is  a  good 
plan,  after  remodeling  a  house,  to  carry  out  this 
scheme  of  our  forebears  and  have  a  narrow  bed 
following  the  line  of  the  house.  Trees  also  are 
always  effective;  they  break  the  roof  line  and 
shut  off  objectionable  views.  If  you  have  no 
trees,  by  all  means  plant  some.  Screens  can  be 
devised  by  planting  shrubbery,  which  makes  un- 
necessary a  latticed  enclosure  and  is  all  the  more 
interesting  if  the  shrubs  bear  flowers,  adding 
a  bright  spot  to  the  color  scheme.  They  are 
very  practical  as  well,  since  they  serve  many 
purposes  besides  shutting  off  objectionable  por- 

[167! 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

tions  of  the  grounds.  If  rightly  planted,  they 
serve  as  windbreaks  and  can  be  arranged  to 
frame  a  vista.  While  evergreen  is  often  used 
for  this  scheme,  yet  shrubs  such  as  the  lilac, 
forsythia,  bridal  wreath,  flowering  almond,  and 
many  others  are  suitable.  Plant  these  so  that 
there  will  be  a  continuation  in  bloom,  and  also 
with  reference  to  a  definite  color  scheme. 

A  remodeled  farmhouse  set  back  from  the  road 
without  any  surrounding  decoration  of  garden 
or  hedge  cannot  be  picturesque,  for  merely  a 
stretch  of  green  lawn  leaves  it  bare  and  unin- 
viting, no  matter  how  much  you  cover  the  house 
with  vines.  The  composition  of  house  and  garden 
should  be  carefully  planned,  all  the  more  if  the 
estate  is  extensive,  with  plenty  of  land  that  can 
be  used  for  this  purpose.  It  is  not  much  trouble 
to  plant  shrubs,  and  they  need  little  cultivation. 
In  the  woods  near  at  hand  you  can  usually  find 
plenty  that  will  serve  the  purpose,  if  economy 
has  to  be  considered. 

In  planting  the  garden  there  are  many  things 
to  be  regarded ;  one  of  the  most  important  is  the 
sequence  of  bloom.  This  should  be  arranged 
with  a  view  to  color  effects,  for  nowhere  will 
one's  taste  be  more  conspicuous  than  in  the  gar- 

[168] 


THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  ESTATE 

den  plot  which  surrounds  the  house.  There  is 
no  doubt  that  the  harmony  of  color  is  a  vital 
question,  and  complementary  ones  should  be 
grouped  together.  Yellow  should  never  be  left 
out  of  the  garden  unless  one  wishes  a  very  quiet 
effect;  red  is  a  favorite  color  and  contrasts  well 
with  white.  It  must  be  remembered  that  quiet 
colors  can  be  used  in  greater  profusion  than 
glaring  ones;  and  if  the  exterior  of  the  house  is 
white,  it  permits  one  a  much  wider  latitude  in 
the  choice  of  colors  and  in  the  arrangement  of 
pleasing  effects. 

The  combination  of  house  and  garden  that  is 
found  on  the  George  E.  Barnard  estate  of  Ipswich, 
Massachusetts,  is  ideal  and  the  result  of  many 
years  of  careful  thought.  The  house  was  origi- 
nally a  small  and  unattractive  farmhouse  which 
contained  only  four  rooms;  it  was  dilapidated 
and  forlorn  in  appearance  and  situated  in  the 
midst  of  uncultivated  grounds.  It  was  the  loca- 
tion which  attracted  the  present  owner,  for  he  saw 
here  great  possibilities  for  development;  so  he 
purchased  the  estate  with  a  view  of  surrounding 
the  house  with  gardens. 

The  house  has  been  added  to,  a  little  at  a  time, 
by  throwing  out  here  a  room  and  there  a  veranda, 

[169] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

instead  of  completing  the  whole  work  at  once. 
Vine-covered  verandas  now  surround  three  sides 
of  the  house ;  the  shrubbery  has  been  well  planted. 

From  the  time  the  garden  was  first  started, 
it  was  the  desire  of  the  owner  to  paint  in  flowers 
what  other  people  have  painted  on  canvas.  Steep 
hills  that  obstructed  the  view  at  the  side  of  the 
house  have  been  converted  into  gentle  slopes; 
bare  spots  have  been  thickly  planted,  and  colors 
have  been  combined  so  that  there  is  no  inharmoni- 
ous note  in  the  finished  garden.  Careful  planning 
eliminated  straight  lines,  but  not  even  the  slightest 
curve  in  a  flower  bed  was  made  until  after  due 
consideration.  The  flowers  were  planted  to  fulfill, 
as  near  as  possible,  the  scheme  of  a  landscape 
picture,  and  each  plant  not  in  perfect  harmony  was 
removed.  The  effect  as  one  sits  on  the  veranda 
is  like  looking  at  an  immense  canvas,  where  the 
pictures  change  with  every  move,  for  the  estate 
is  a  masterpiece  of  color  and  bloom,  depicting 
a  different  phase  of  landscape  on  every  side. 

In  remodeling  the  house,  so  many  changes 
have  been  made  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  tell  the  manner  in  which  the  improvements 
were  effected.  There  is  not  a  room  in  the 
house  but  has  been  thoroughly  changed,  nor  one 

[170] 


THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  ESTATE 

that  has  not  been  enlarged.  The  service  quarters 
are  all  new;  they  have  been  placed  in  the  rear, 
where  they  do  not  intrude  on  the  scheme  that 
has  been  carried  out  in  remodeling  —  that  of 
making  an  attractive  house  in  keeping  with  the 
setting  of  the  grounds.  The  main  house  is  at 
the  front  and  has  been  kept  in  practically  the 
same  general  style  as  when  purchased.  The 
entire  rear  portion  of  the  house  has  been  added 
a  little  at  a  time,  until  now  it  is  most  complete  in 
each  and  every  detail. 

Dormer  windows  have  been  let  into  the  roof 
in  order  to  give  better  lighting,  and  the  wide 
verandas  have  been  railed  in,  to  provide  an  up- 
stairs living-room,  from  which  one  gets  the  best 
views  of  the  garden.  The  lower  veranda  is  fur- 
nished with  well-chosen  willow  furniture,  each 
piece  being  carefully  selected  so  that  there  are 
no  two  alike.  It  has  been  given  a  setting  of 
ornamental  bay-trees  in  green  tubs  and  huge 
pottery  vases  filled  with  masses  of  bloom.  The 
most  attractive  part  of  the  veranda  is  at  one 
side  of  the  house,  where  it  is  paved  with  brick 
and  lined  on  the  one  side  with  evergreen  trees 
and  on  the  other  with  scarlet  geraniums. 

The  hall  or  morning-room  was  a  part  of  the 

[171] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

original  house.  It  is  entered  directly  from  the 
veranda  and  has  been  so  treated  as  to  present 
a  different  series  of  pictures  from  the  time  one 
enters  the  door  until  one  leaves,  each  room  which 
opens  out  of  it  being  carefully  designed  for  har- 
monious effects. 

At  the  left  of  the  room  is  the  staircase  which 
leads  to  the  second-story  floor.  The  low  mahogany 
risers  and  treads  contrast  with  the  white  balusters 
which  are  topped  with  a  highly  polished  mahog- 
any rail.  Doors  have  been  removed  so  that  the 
adjoining  rooms  are  glimpsed  as  one  enters  from 
the  veranda.  This  room  is  hung  with  a  Colonial 
paper  showing  delicately  tinted  red  flowers  against 
a  gray  background,  and  its  beauty  is  heightened 
by  the  leaded  glass  windows  of  the  china  closet 
at  the  right  and  the  simple  fireplace  with  its  brass 
accessories.  Every  bit  of  furniture  here  is  old 
Colonial  and  is  upholstered  in  green  to  match 
the  color  of  the  hangings.  A  long  French  window 
opens  on  to  the  veranda  and  gives  glimpses  of  the 
beautiful  gardens.  The  upper  portions  of  the  old 
cupboards  that  were  in  the  house  have  been  glassed 
in.  The  floors  have  had  to  be  relaid. 

Particularly  noticeable  is  the  den  which  is  at 
the  left  of  the  hallway.  Here  the  color  scheme 

[172] 


The  Pergola-Porch 
THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  HOUSE 


The  Hall 


The  Alcove  in  the  Living  Room 
THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  HOUSE 


THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  ESTATE 

is  green,  the  walls  being  covered  with  textile ;  the 
wainscot  is  painted  white,  and  the  hangings  at 
the  window  brighten  the  plain  effect  of  the  wall 
treatment.  There  is  no  crowding  of  furniture, 
but  a  dignified  atmosphere  pervades  the  entire 
room.  It  is  an  apartment  such  as  one  loves  to 
find  —  quiet  and  restful.  These  two  rooms  occupy 
the  entire  front  of  the  house. 

Opening  from  the  hall  is  a  long  reception-room 
which  was  originally  a  part  of  the  old  house  and 
which  shows  two  rooms  thrown  into  one,  with 
an  addition  at  the  end  nearest  the  avenue.  This 
is  done  in  old  blue  velour  and  is  furnished  in 
mahogany.  The  plain  tint  of  the  wall  gives  an 
admirable  background  to  the  fine  old  pictures 
which  hang  here  and  there.  Every  piece  of  furni- 
ture in  this  room  is  Colonial.  Ionic  columns  outline 
the  wide  double  windows.  Light  and  air  have 
been  carefully  considered  in  the  remodeling  of 
the  entire  house  and  have  particularly  been 
sought  in  designing  this  room,  as  is  shown  by  the 
many  windows  on  either  side.  At  the  farther  end, 
to  one  side,  a  French  window  leads  to  a  glassed-in 
veranda  which  is  used  for  a  breakfast-room. 

This  room  is  a  feature  of  the  house,  for  it  has 
been  set  in  the  middle  of  the  terraced  grounds 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

that  lie  at  the  side  of  the  house,  so  that  one  can 
get  the  full  benefit  of  the  picture  garden  with 
the  slope  of  the  hill  beyond  rising  to  meet  the 
blue  of  the  horizon. 

In  the  reception-room,  as  in  every  room  in  the 
house,  wooden  doors  have  been  removed  and 
replaced  by  glass  ones  which  act  as  windows  to 
reveal  the  room  beyond.  It  is  a  most  unusual 
treatment, — this  picture  idea  carried  out  inside 
as  well  as  outside  of  the  house,  —  for  there  is 
no  spot  in  the  whole  interior  where  you  do  not 
get  a  vista  of  some  kind. 

Beyond  the  reception-room  is  the  dining-room. 
This,  too,  is  a  long,  narrow  room  and  has  been 
added  since  the  house  was  purchased,  but  so 
fitted  in  that  it  is  seemingly  a  part  of  the  old  house. 
This  room  is  divided  into  a  dining  and  a  break- 
fast-room and  is  used  during  inclement  weather. 
Heavy  draperies  make  it  possible  to  shut  the 
rooms  off  from  each  other  if  desired.  The  entire 
end  of  the  breakfast-room  has  been  given  up  to 
groups  of  long  French  windows  which  are  repeated 
on  either  side,  making  a  wide  bay  window.  Here 
again  has  the  picture  effect  been  carried  out,  for 
the  windows  act  as  a  frame  to  the  mass  of  harmoni- 
ous blossoms  beyond,  with  their  setting  of  green. 

[I74l 


THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  ESTATE 

The  dining-room  proper  has  a  paneled  Colonial 
landscape  paper;  the  furniture  is  of  the  Empire 
period,  while  at  the  farther  end  of  the  room  have 
been  let  in  on  either  side  of  the  long  windows  an 
attractive  china  closet.  Here,  as  in  every  room 
in  the  house,  we  find  wainscot  and  the  same  use 
of  white  paint. 

At  the  rear  of  this  dining-room  are  the  service 
quarters  which  consist  of  a  large,  sanitary,  and 
well-equipped  kitchen,  butlers'  pantries,  servants' 
dining-room  and  sitting-room.  The  chambers  in 
the  second  story  are  entirely  separate  from  the  rest 
of  the  house. 

The  second  floor  shows  at  the  right  of  the  stair- 
case a  most  delightful  morning-room  which  is 
large  and  square  with  an  open  fireplace.  This 
is  a  particularly  attractive  room,  for  it  commands 
magnificent  views.  The  rest  of  the  house  is  given 
over  to  chambers  which  are  laid  out  in  suites  and 
furnished  with  old-time  furniture. 
.There  is  an  atmosphere  about  this  remodeled 
farmhouse  that  is  refreshing  and  most  unusual. 
It  has  taken  years  to  satisfactorily  develop  the 
owner's  idea  of  combining  house  and  garden  in 
one  harmonious  color  scheme.  In  the  exterior 
this  is  changed  each  year,  the  favorite  combi- 

[i7Sl 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

nation  being  lavender  and  white.  This  is  attained 
by  the  use  of  heliotrope  and  sweet  alyssum  which 
outline  the  terraced  wall  and  which  show  a  carpet 
of  green  for  central  effect. 

The  veranda  is  a  harmony  of  green  and  white 
which  is  carried  out  in  the  awnings,  the  foliage, 
the  willow  furniture,  and  the  white  of  the  exterior 
and  the  balustrade.  In  the  interior  there  is  not 
a  jumble  of  different  colorings,  and  the  rooms 
have  been  so  arranged  that  they  present  a  series 
of  pictures  brought  about  by  the  use  of  plain 
colors  that  perfectly  blend.  This  has  not  been 
the  work  of  a  day  or  a  year,  but  of  ten  years  of 
careful  study  and  is  one  of  the  most  instructive 
lessons  for  those  who  are  planning  to  remodel 
an  old  farmhouse  and  to  introduce  into  its  interior 
finish  harmonious,  restful,  color  schemes. 


[176] 


The  Den 


The  Dining  Room 
THE  GEORGE  E.  BARNARD  HOUSE 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   W.    P.    ADDEN    HOUSE 

MANY  of  the  old  houses  still  contain  some  fine 
specimens  of  old  hardware  that  were  used  when 
they  were  built,  more  especially  the  H  and  L  hinges 
and  the  old  latches  which  have  not  been  removed. 
The  knockers  have  often  disappeared,  being  more 
conspicuous  and  therefore  eagerly  sought,  not 
only  by  collectors  but  by  builders  of  new  houses 
into  which  Colonial  ideas  have  been  introduced. 

If  you  are  looking  for  this  particular  feature 
in  the  farmhouse,  you  will  probably  find  it  widely 
varied,  as  the  different  owners  of  the  house  each 
had  his  own  special  ideas  and  changed  the  hard- 
ware to  suit  his  tastes.  Many  did  not  realize 
the  importance  of  these  fixtures  in  retaining  the 
sixteenth  and  seventeenth-century  interiors. 

It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  hardware 
should  correspond  in  material  to  period.  Too 
little  thought  has  been  given  to  this  subject  and 
has  led  to  an  incongruous  use  of  hardware,  leaving 
an  impression  of  lack  of  information  concerning 

[177] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

the  correct  architectural  details  of  the  house. 
There  is  a  decided  difference  between  the  hard- 
ware that  was  used  in  the  latter  part  of  the  six- 
teenth century  and  the  early  seventeenth  and  that 
we  employ  to-day.  The  twentieth-century  "  build- 
ers' hardware"  covers  a  great  variety  of  objects 
included  in  every  part  of  the  house.  In  Colonial 
times  the  term  was  applied  to  few,  such  as  latches, 
locks,  knockers,  and  hinges,  some  of  which  were 
very  ornamental  in  design,  for  they  ranged  from 
small  pieces  to  large  ones. 

The  evolution  of  this  special  feature  of  the  house 
is  of  interest  to  the  house  builder;  it  originated 
in  the  Dark  Ages,  at  which  period  we  find  used 
Romanesque,  Renaissance,  and  Gothic  types  in 
so  many  different  forms  that  it  is  little  wonder 
the  architect  turns  to  them  for  copy.  The  best 
examples  are  seen  in  the  late  sixteenth  and 
early  seventeenth-century  houses,  when  the  decora- 
tion of  the  entrance  door  was  a  very  serious  sub- 
ject and  received  great  attention,  especially  dur- 
ing the  Colonial  period.  Then  the  knockers 
were  of  the  most  importance  and  were  either  of 
cast-iron  or  brass.  The  former  were  often  very 
beautiful  in  design  and  were  used  on  the  earlier 
houses,  for  brass  did  not  come  into  favor  until 

[178] 


THE  W.  P.  ADDEN  HOUSE 

later.  Unfortunately  the  waning  vogue  of  this 
piece  of  hardware  led  to  many  rare  pieces  being 
destroyed  or  thrown  into  the  melting  pot.  It  is 
fortunate  that  some  house  owners  realized  their 
worth  and  that  collectors  felt  they  would  become 
a  fad  later  on  and  so  stored  them  away,  which 
accounts  for  many  old  knockers  found  on  the 
market  to-day. 

The  latch,  lock,  knob,  and  hinge  are  also  inter- 
esting. The  former  is  made  from  either  iron  or 
brass  but  rarely  of  any  other  metal.  Before  the 
appearance  of  the  latch,  the  door-ring  was  used, 
but  this  it  would  be  most  difficult  to  locate. 
The  thumb-latch  is  occasionally  fanciful  in  design 
but  is  generally  very  plain  and  is  rarely  seen  even 
in  old-time  houses,  having  been  replaced  by  the 
door-knob.  The  most  common  feature,  and  one 
which  we  are  quite  apt  to  discover,  is  the  long 
strap-hinge  which  was  designed  for  a  special 
purpose,  for  we  must  remember  that  in  the  early 
days  wooden  pins  were  used  to  fasten  the  door; 
and  while  they  kept  it  compact,  yet  it  demanded 
the  strap-hinge  also  for  protection.  This  hinge 
will  be  found  in  many  different  patterns  and  makes, 
sometimes  running  almost  the  entire  width  of 
the  door,  and  often  constructed  in  three  sections, 

[179] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

—  the  upper,  lower,  and  central,  although  fre- 
quently only  two  were  used.  The  ornamental 
ones  are  rarely  if  ever  seen  in  farmhouses,  being 
confined  to  the  wealthier  class.  The  plain  iron 
ones  were  more  often  found,  and  these  are  of  two 
types,  —  the  one  known  as  the  H  hinge  and  the 
other  as  the  H  and  L. 

Closet  doors  often  are  equipped  with  the  H 
hinge  which  takes  its  name  from  its  formation. 
Because  of  the  fact  that  the  home  builders  of 
to-day  are  turning  their  attention  more  and  more 
to  the  use  of  decorative  hardware,  one  should 
be  very  careful  to  retain  this  feature  as  an  effec- 
tive detail  in  the  interior  finish  of  a  remodeled 
farmhouse. 

In  the  town  of  Reading,  Massachusetts,  is  a 
most  attractive  remodeled  farmhouse  that  has 
been  carefully  worked  out  by  W.  P.  Adden  with 
such  a  regard  for  the  preservation  of  old-time 
atmosphere  that  it  can  be  considered  as  a  fine 
type  to  copy.  Not  only  has  the  exterior  been 
carefully  planned,  but  the  owner  has  gone  farther 
and  made  a  special  study  of  the  hardware,  so  that 
the  house  to-day  contains  many  wonderful  ex- 
amples that  are  correct  in  their  treatment  and 
add  much  to  the  atmosphere  of  the  home. 

[180] 


THE  W.  P.  ADDEN  HOUSE 

This  old  farmhouse  was  originally  a  gambrel- 
roofed  cottage  built  about  1760  and  was  probably 
a  four-roomed  house,  as  is  indicated  by  the  parti- 
tions filled  with  brick  that  were  found  in  the 
center  of  the  present  house,  and  also  by  an  old 
brick  oven  and  fireplace  which  were  buried  up 
and  covered  over  by  the  portion  of  an  old  brick 
chimney  evidently  added  later.  The  additions 
to  this  dwelling,  even  when  purchased  by  the 
present  owner,  had  been  carefully  planned,  so 
that  there  were  no  awkward  joinings  or  incongru- 
ous jogs  discernible  in  the  outline.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  here,  as  in  other  old  farmhouses,  the 
early  builders  had  displayed  an  inherent  sense  of 
proper  proportion,  and  the  additions  which  were 
made  from  time  to  time  might  be  said  to  be  after- 
expressions  of  first  thoughts. 

When  this  house  was  first  purchased,  it  was  in 
an  excellent  state  of  preservation,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  ell  which  was  past  repairing.  It  faced 
directly  south  and  had  evidently  been  set  by  a 
compass  regardless  of  street  boundary,  though 
the  location  was  only  a  short  distance  from  the 
main  road.  The  design  of  the  house  contained 
all  the  characteristics  of  early  construction,  — 
the  small-paned  windows,  closely  cropped  eaves, 

[181] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

and  long,  unrelieved,  roof  line.  At  the  time  of 
the  purchase  of  the  estate,  which  had  originally 
included  hundreds  of  acres,  it  was  surrounded  by 
a  low  wall  of  field  stone  which  had  evidently  been 
taken  from  the  grounds  to  make  tillage  possible. 
The  house  stood  on  a  slope  and  was  surrounded 
by  grass  land ;  the  same  idea  is  carried  out  to-day, 
in  that  little  attempt  has  been  made  at  garden 
culture,  the  owner  preferring  to  keep  the  estate 
as  near  as  possible  to  the  farm  lands  of  centuries 
ago. 

After  the  remodeling  was  commenced,  many 
interesting  facts  of  construction  were  brought  to 
light.  The  north  side  of  the  house,  which  was 
originally  the  rear,  was  changed  by  the  present 
owner  into  the  main  front,  with  entrance  and 
staircase  hall.  The  hall  was  necessarily  small, 
and  in  order  to  make  it  practical,  five  feet  of  the 
large  central  chimney  had  to  be  removed,  includ- 
ing three  fireplaces  and  two  brick  ovens.  It  was 
then  found  that  this  portion  had  evidently  been 
added  to  the  house  after  the  original  chimney 
had  been  built,  as  an  old  fireplace  and  brick  oven 
were  found  on  the  line  of  a  partition  on  the  south 
side  of  the  hall.  It  was  also  discovered  that  in 
all  probability  the  original  house  had  a  lean-to 

[182] 


THE  W.  P.  ADDEN  HOUSE 

at  the  north  which  was  used  for  a  kitchen,  and 
that  this  fireplace  and  brick  oven  were  a  part  of 
the  old  room.  The  original  chimney  was  found 
by  actual  measurement  to  be  sixteen  feet  by  seven 
and  a  half  feet,  and  the  stone  foundation  was  the 
largest  ever  seen,  being  ample  enough  to  accom- 
modate the  wide  hearths  as  well  as  the  chimney. 
In  fact,  to-day  it  takes  all  the  central  portion  of 
the  basement,  leaving  two  small  spaces  on  either 
side.  In  the  remodeling,  it  was  found  that  the 
original  work  was  laid  up  with  clay,  meadow  clay 
being  taken  as  a  binder. 

The  exterior  required  little  alteration,  save  on 
the  north  side,  where  it  was  necessary  to  remove 
a  portion  of  the  wall  in  order  to  run  the  hall  out 
under  the  roof  of  the  house  so  that  it  might  be 
two  stories  in  height.  The  front  of  the  house, 
which  faced  directly  south,  was  left  unaltered, 
with  the  exception  that  on  the  opposite  side  from 
the  ell  a  glass-enclosed  piazza  was  built  of  like 
width,  length,  and  height.  This  afforded  a  bal- 
last, as  it  were,  to  the  main  building  and  made  a 
comfortable  playroom  for  the  children. 

A  new  porch,  arched  with  Colonial  pillars,  was 
built  at  the  front  of  the  house  in  keeping  with  the 
type.  In  the  ell  a  second  one  of  less  formal  pro- 

[183] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

portions  was  designed  which  was  reached  by  a 
flagging  of  rough  stones.  A  third  porch  of  en- 
tirely different  character  was  a  finish  to  the  rear 
of  the  house  and  shows  lattice  work,  being  quite 
ornamental  in  design. 

The  angle  formed  by  the  main  building  and  the 
new  ell  gave  space  for  a  flower  plot,  and  here  is 
located  a  small  rose  garden.  This  is  outlined  by 
broad  paths  of  stone;  surrounding  the  whole 
are  wide  borders  of  old-fashioned  flowers  which 
lend  a  touch  of  color  that  is  very  attractive. 

Entering  through  the  front  porch,  one  comes 
to  a  new  hall,  and  with  the  exception  of  this,  there 
has  been  little  change  in  interior.  This  hall  is 
most  interesting;  here  are  found  the  H  and  L 
hinges,  a  yellow  and  white  Colonial  wall-paper, 
and  a  staircase  that  divides  at  the  landing  and  by 
easy  treads  leads  on  either  side  to  chambers 
above.  An  old  grandfather's  clock  is  an  appro- 
priate furnishing  for  this  part  of  the  house.  All 
through  the  lower  story  the  old  woodwork  has 
been  carefully  preserved,  and  where  it  was  de- 
stroyed it  has  been  replaced. 

The  living-room  is  practically  as  it  was  when 
purchased.  Here  we  find  the  H  hinges  and  the 
old-time  latches,  while  through  the  center  of  the 

[184! 


THE  W.  P.  ADDEN  HOUSE 

room  runs  a  beam  which  had  to  be  cased  in  and 
which  has  been  painted  white  to  match  the  trim. 
At  one  side  a  built-in  bookcase  has  followed  the 
architectural  lines  so  perfectly  that  it  seems  as 
if  it  had  been  there  ever  since  the  house  was  built. 
The  simple  Colonial  fireplace  shows  more  orna- 
mentation than  is  generally  found  in  old  farm- 
houses, which  indicates  that  it  was  of  a  better 
type  dwelling.  With  its  new  wall  hangings  and 
white  trim,  this  room  is  most  attractive.  It 
connects  with  the  sun-parlor  at  one  end  and  is 
well-lighted  and  most  homelike  in  atmosphere. 

The  dining-room,  facing  east,  has  had  a  new 
group  of  windows  added  and  contains  the  largest 
fireplace  in  the  house.  The  china  closet  above 
the  fireplace  was  discovered  when  the  plaster  was 
removed  for  the  purpose  of  building  in  a  similar 
one.  This  room  is  fitted  with  H  and  L  hinges 
and  the  old-time  iron  latch.  It  was  originally  a 
portion  of  the  old  kitchen,  the  remainder  of  it 
being  taken  for  a  lavatory  and  passage-way. 

All  through  the  house  we  find  that  careful  atten- 
tion has  been  paid  not  only  to  hardware  but  to 
furnishings.  No  new-fashioned  pieces  have  been 
used  in  any  room  in  the  house,  and  this  careful 
attention  to  details  has  been  carried  out  even 

[185] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

in  the  lighting  fixtures,  ^  which  are  all  of  the 
Colonial  type. 

The  second-story  floor  has  undergone  changes 
to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  present  owner. 
One  half  of  this  story  is  devoted  to  the  nursery; 
it  is  equipped  with  a  large  fireplace,  deep  closets, 
bath,  and  nurse's  room,  while  the  remainder 
provides  a  large  bedroom,  bath,  and  dressing- 
room.  It  has  been  so  arranged  that  each  part  is 
distinct  by  itself,  and  convenience  has  been  looked 
after  in  every  particular. 

The  original  attic  was  entirely  unfinished,  and 
when  new  stairs  were  erected  in  the  second-story 
hall,  there  was  great  difficulty  in  finding  room 
enough  to  enter  the  attic  by  the  side  of  the  large 
chimney. 

In  the  remodeling  of  this  house,  comfort,  a 
careful  following  of  Colonial  details,  and  an 
especial  attention  to  the  hardware  are  the  salient 
features. 


[186] 


The  Stairway 
THE  W.  P.  ADDEN  HOUSE 


o 
X 
i_ 
u 
S 
S 

3 


5b 

o 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE    KATE   DOUGLAS   WIGGIN   HOUSE 

THERE  is  one  thing  that  should  be  carefully 
considered  in  buying  an  old  farmhouse,  —  that  is, 
character.  In  order  to  obtain  this,  distinct  points 
should  be  sought  after  and  brought  out.  These 
can  be  accentuated  not  only  in  the  house  but  also 
in  its  surroundings,  —  the  garden,  the  trees,  and 
the  shrubbery;  even  the  defining  wall  or  fence 
does  its  part  in  making  a  good  or  bad  impression 
on  the  casual  passer-by. 

One  must  remember,  in  dealing  with  subjects 
of  this  sort,  that  the  term  "farmhouses"  is  a  vary- 
ing one.  These  range  from  small,  insignificant 
little  dwellings  to  the  more  elaborate  houses  that 
were  built  primarily  for  comfort  as  well  as  shelter. 
There  are  many  large,  substantial  dwellings,  not 
of  the  earlier  type,  for  they  were  erected  much 
later,  but  which  illustrate  the  progression  of  the 
farmhouse  design.  One  looks  in  houses  such  as 
these  for  larger  rooms,  higher  stud,  and  more 
up-to-date  ideas. 

[187] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

The  fireplaces  are  smaller  and  more  ornate, 
for  it  must  be  remembered  that  as  time  passed 
on,  money  circulated  more  freely  through  the 
colonies,  allowing  for  more  extensive  work  and 
better  finished  details.  While  it  is  not  necessary 
to  copy  the  Colonial  wall  hangings,  yet  in  the  older 
houses  it  is  much  more  satisfactory ;  still  one  can 
depart  from  this  custom  in  a  more  elaborate  house 
and  use  his  own  taste  in  selecting  an  attractive 
modern  paper.  Many  people  consider  that  houses 
restored,  no  matter  of  what  period,  should  inva- 
riably have  carefully  consistent  interior  finish, 
without  realization  that  it  is  sometimes  better 
to  look  for  character  than  type. 

The  old-time  wall-papers,  more  especially  the 
picturesque  ones,  were  generally  used  in  more 
expensive  houses,  although  we  find  them  here  and 
there  in  the  more  simple  ones.  Often  this  feature 
of  the  interior  decoration  is  not  well  carried  out, 
the  wall  hangings  being  chosen  for  cheapness 
rather  than  merit. 

To-day  there  is  on  the  market  such  a  great 
variety  of  papers  that  it  is  a  very  easy  matter  to 
get  one  suitable  for  any  certain  room  and  suggest- 
ing good  taste.  Many  of  them  are  reproductions 
of  old  motives,  while  others  are  plain  and  simple 

[188] 


THE  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  HOUSE 

in  character,  giving  to  the  room  a  quiet  effect 
and  providing  a  good  background  for  pictures  and 
hangings.  There  is  nothing  more  restful  in  char- 
acter than  the  soft  grays ;  they  are  effective  as  a 
setting  for  stronger  colors  that  can  be  used  in  the 
curtains,  for  this  part  of  a  room  finish  is  as  impor- 
tant as  the  wall  hangings  themselves.  There  is 
an  indescribable  charm  to  a  room  that  has  been 
carefully  planned  and  shows  good  taste  and  rest- 
ful surroundings. 

In  many  houses,  some  decorative  scheme  has 
been  introduced  which  necessitates  a  particular 
kind  of  wall  hanging,  and  even  though  it  may  be 
most  unusual  in  type,  it  illustrates  a  motive  that 
has  been  in  the  mind  of  the  owner.  Houses  would 
lack  character  if  the  same  line  of  interior  deco- 
ration were  carried  out  in  all  of  them.  With  a 
high  wainscot  and  cornice  painted  ivory  white, 
comparatively  little  paper  is  needed,  which  reduces 
the  cost  and  permits  a  better  paper  than  if  the 
room  had  a  simple  mopboard  and  a  tiny  molding. 

Papers  that  are  garish  and  discordant  in  them- 
selves, if  skilfully  handled,  can  produce  har- 
monious effects,  for  it  is  often  the  unusual  wall 
hangings  that  attract  most.  In  curtaining  these 
rooms  let  the  same  main  tone  be  reproduced; 

[189] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

this  need  not  apply  to  every  detail  but  to  the 
general  tone.  Many  people  are  timid  in  the  use 
of  odd  wall-papers  or  curtains ;  they  are  afraid 
that  they  may  look  bizarre,  but  they  should 
remember  that  color  is  in  reality  a  very  powerful 
agent  in  making  an  artistic  home. 

It  is  sometimes  effective  to  treat  a  house  as  a 
whole,  and  then  again  it  is  better  that  each  room 
should  have  its  own  individuality.  Very  few 
houses  but  have  at  least  one  corner  that  offers 
interesting  opportunities,  and  it  is  the  artistic 
treatment  of  this  that  helps  out  the  harmony  of 
the  room. 

There  is  a  charming  atmosphere  surrounding 
"Quillcote,"  the  home  of  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin, 
at  Hollis,  Maine,  where  Mrs.  Riggs  spends  three 
months  of  the  year.  It  may  be  that  the  quiet- 
ness of  the  place  lends  to  it  additional  charm, 
and  then  again  it  may  possibly  be  the  result  of  its 
environment. 

The  house  itself  is  typical  of  the  better  class  of 
New  England  farmhouses,  and  since  it  has  come 
into  Mrs.  Riggs'  possession,  many  alterations 
have  been  made,  until  to-day  it  is  one  of  the  most 
attractive  farmhouses  to  be  found  anywhere. 
Two  stories  and  a  half  in  height,  with  a  slant 

[190] 


THE  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  HOUSE 

to  the  roof,  it  stands  back  from  the  road  on  a 
slight  elevation,  with  a  surrounding  of  lawns  and 
overshadowed  by  century-old  elms.  To-day  its 
weather-beaten  sides  have  been  renovated  by  a 
coat  of  white  paint,  while  the  blinds  have  been 
painted  green.  A  touch  of  picturesqueness  has 
been  secured  through  the  introduction  of  a  window- 
box  over  the  porch,  bright  all  through  the  season 
with  blossoming  flowers.  There  is  no  attempt  at 
floriculture,  the  owner  preferring  to  maintain  the 
rural  simplicity  of  a  farmhouse  devoid  of  flowers 
and  only  relieved  by  the  shrubbery  planted 
around  the  building. 

When  the  house  was  first  purchased,  it  was 
not  in  a  dilapidated  condition,  having  been  lived 
in  by  townspeople  and  kept  in  good  repair.  The 
work  of  remodeling  has  been  done  by  the  people 
of  the  village,  and  it  has  been  superintended  by 
the  owner  of  the  house,  in  order  that  her  own 
ideas,  not  only  in  remodeling,  but  in  decorating, 
should  be  exactly  carried  out.  The  old  shed  is 
now  used  as  the  service  department,  a  wide 
veranda  having  been  built  at  one  side  for  a 
servants'  outdoor  sitting-room.  At  the  rear  of 
the  house  is  the  old  barn,  which  to-day  is  used  for 
a  study  and  for  entertainment  purposes. 

[191] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Entrance  to  the  house  is  through  a  Colonial 
door  with  a  fanlight  on  either  side.  The  owner 
has  preferred  to  keep  this  in  its  original  state, 
rather  than  add  a  porch  of  the  Colonial  type. 
The  only  porch  that  has  been  added  to  the  house 
is  a  latticed,  circular  one  at  the  side  door.  The 
entrance  hall  is  long  and  narrow,  the  staircase 
also  being  narrow  and  built  at  one  side  in  order 
to  save  space.  The  Colonial  idea  has  been  carried 
out  here  in  the  wainscot,  and  the  ornamentation 
of  hand-carving  on  the  stairs  shows  it  was  done 
by  a  stair-builder  and  not  by  an  ordinary  me- 
chanic. The  lighting  is  from  a  lantern  which 
carries  out  the  general  effect.  The  wall-hanging 
is  in  Colonial  colors,  —  yellow  and  white,  —  while 
the  rugs  are  the  old,  woven  rag  carpets  which  are 
repeated  for  stair  covering.  The  balusters  are 
very  simple  in  design,  while  the  balustrade  has 
been  painted  white,  thus  showing  it  is  not  of 
mahogany. 

At  the  right  is  the  dining-room,  a  bright,  sunny 
room  that  has  been  uniquely  planned  to  occupy 
the  front  of  the  house  instead  of  the  rear,  as  is 
more  usual.  It  is  a  large,  square  room,  in  which 
little  or  no  alteration  has  been  made  and  which 
has  been  treated  so  as  to  make  an  effective  setting 

[192] 


The  Hall 
QUILLCOTE 


Two  Views  of  the  Living  Room 
QUILLCOTE 


THE  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  HOUSE 

to  the  rare  old  Colonial  furniture.  The  size  of  the 
dining-room  has  been  considered  in  reference  to  the 
furniture,  this  being  one  reason  why  Mrs.  Riggs 
has  chosen  this  large,  square  room  —  in  order  to 
correctly  place  her  old  mahogany  pieces.  The 
decorations  are  very  simple  and  follow  out  the  idea 
of  Colonial  days,  there  being  no  pieces  that  are 
not  in  actual  use.  The  walls  are  hung  in  shades  of 
yellow  and  brown,  and  she  has  been  most  successful 
in  carrying  out  her  color  scheme. 

The  home  study,  or  den,  leads  from  the  dining- 
room  and  has  been  carefully  planned  with  an  idea 
of  restfulness.  A  chamber  at  one  end  has  been 
converted  into  an  alcove,  and  additional  light  is 
obtained  by  cutting  a  group  of  casement  windows 
over  the  writing-table.  The  room  is  very  simply 
furnished  and  shows  marked  originality.  The 
walls  are  papered  with  woodland  scenes,  for  it 
was  a  fad  of  the  occupant  to  bring  into  the  house 
by  wall  hangings  suggestions  of  the  outside  world. 
While  it  is  unique,  it  has  a  distinctly  restful  influ- 
ence and  is  in  tone  with  the  fireplace,  which  has 
been  decorated  with  unusual  features  and  which 
bears  the  name  "Quillcote."  The  draperies  in 
this  room  are  original  in  treatment,  being  deco- 
rated to  order  by  a  noted  artist  who  has  intro- 

1 193  ] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

duced  his  signature  in  some  part  of  the  work. 
They  are  ornamented  with  original  designs  sug- 
gestive of  farm  life,  with  such  subjects  as  wheat, 
apples,  or  corn  and  are  covered  with  delicate 
traceries  of  rushes  or  climbing  vines.  The  fire- 
place has  for  andirons  black  owls,  and  on  either 
side  stand  altar  candles.  In  the  furnishing  of 
the  room  everything  has  been  chosen  with  an  eye 
to  restful  effects ;  the  owner  has  done  away  with 
the  pure  Colonial  idea,  using  the  mission  type 
and  considering  comfort  more  than  convention- 
ality. 

Opposite  the  dining-room  at  the  front  of  the 
house  is  the  living-room,  where  further  originality 
is  found  in  furnishings  and  in  scenes  from  nature 
introduced  in  the  unique  wall  hangings.  This 
room  is  in  blue  and  white,  the  wall-paper  being 
delft  blue  with  a  rush  design  over  which  hover 
gulls.  Singularly  enough,  the  idea  is  very  pleas- 
ing. The  hangings  are  of  white  muslin  with  blue 
overcurtains,  while  the  furniture  is  a  mixture  of 
Colonial  and  modern  pieces.  '  An  inglenook  has 
been  obtained  through  the  introduction  of  a 
built-in  window-seat  which  is  covered  with  blue  to 
match  the  tone  of  the  paper.  The  furniture  is 
all  painted  white,  and  the  white  fur  rugs  laid 

[194] 


THE  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  HOUSE 

upon  the  blue  floor  covering  give  a  charming 
effect.  The  decoration  and  furnishing  of  this 
room  is  quiet  and  restful,  for  those  two  ideas 
form  the  basis  of  the  owner's  scheme  which  she 
had  in  mind  long  before  she  took  this  house  and 
while  she  lived  in  the  old  family  mansion  that 
stands  just  across  the  way.  It  is  a  comfortable, 
livable  room  and  not  used  for  state  occasions 
alone,  but  for  everyday  needs. 

Just  beyond  is  the  sitting-room  in  which  an 
entirely  different  idea  is  presented.  Here  the 
china  fad  is  evidenced  in  "the  ornamentation  of 
priceless  old  plates  that  have  been  collected  by 
the  owner's  sister,  Miss  Nora  Smith,  and  arranged 
according  to  her  taste.  This  room  is  a  typical 
Colonial  room,  and  the  furniture  shown  is  all  of 
that  period,  even  to  a  spinning-wheel  which  gives 
an  old-time  effect.  From  this  room  one  passes 
through  a  door  on  to  the  rear  porch,  from  which 
fine  views  are  obtained  of  the  little,  old-fashioned 
garden,  the  pine  grove  opposite  the  house,  and 
the  winding  road. 

The  second  story  shows  large,  square  chambers 
which  have  been  carefully  planned,  each  following 
out  a  distinct  color  scheme.  In  one  of  these 
rooms  there  is  a  combination  of  lavender,  white, 

[195] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

and  green,  shown  in  wall  hangings,  curtains,  and 
furnishings.  The  canopied  Field  bed,  with  its 
lavender  and  white  spread,  has  been  painted  white. 
Over  it  has  been  draped  a  white  muslin  canopy. 
The  walls  are  in  light  green  and  show  no  pictures 
save  that  of  a  Madonna  and  Child,  suggestive  of 
the  author's  love  of  children.  On  the  mantel 
are  several  very  rare  pieces  of  Staffordshire,  many 
of  which  can  not  be  duplicated.  The  furniture 
has  been  painted  white,  with  the  exception  of  two 
chairs  which  have  been  treated  to  a  coat  of  green. 

Another  room,  showing  wainscot  and  a  quiet 
yellow  and  white  Colonial  paper,  has  a  Field  bed 
with  white  spread  and  white  muslin  canopy. 
Here  the  Colonial  idea  in  furnishing  has  been 
strictly  carried  out. 

•  An  original  and  yet  artistic  room  has  its  walls 
entirely  covered  with  a  dainty  cretonne,  the  bed- 
covering  and  hangings  being  of  the  same  material. 

The  most  interesting  idea  in  remodeling  is 
presented  by  the  old  barn,  which  has  been  con- 
verted into  a  large  music-room  or  hall,  with  a 
rustic  platform  at  one  end.  Here  a  new  floor 
has  been  laid,  many  windows  inserted,  and  a  few 
old-time  settles  placed,  constructed  of  weathered 
wood  toned  by  time  to  an  almost  silvery  hue. 

[196] 


The  Den 


The  Dining  Room 

QUILLCOTE 


Two  of  the  Chambers 
QUILLCOTE 


THE  KATE  DOUGLAS  WIGGIN  HOUSE 

\ 

Nothing  else  has  been  changed ;  the  ancient  rafters 
and  walls  remain  as  they  were  a  century  ago. 
The  hall  is  lighted  by  many  lanterns  hanging  from 
ceiling  and  harness  pegs,  also  by  curious  Japanese 
lanterns  painted  especially  for  Mrs.  Wiggin  and 
bearing  the  name  of  the  artist.  The  lanterns, 
hung  from  overhead,  greatly  relieve  the  somber 
effect  of  the  heavy  beams.  At  the  rear  of  the 
hall  a  broad  door  space  makes  a  frame  for  a  pretty 
picture,  —  a  field  of  buttercups  and  daisies,  a  dis- 
tant house,  and  two  arching  elms.  A  large  closet, 
once  the  harness-room,  is  fitted  up  with  shelves 
and  contains  all  the  necessary  china  for  a  "spread" 
such  as  is  given  to  the  village  folk  several  times  a 
year,  when  dances  are  held  in  the  old  barn. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 

FLOORS  are  an  important  detail  in  the  remodeled 
house.  Sometimes  the  original  building  has  many 
that  are  in  fairly  good  condition  so  that  they 
can  be  saved.  There  is  a  great  advantage  in  keep- 
ing these  old  floors  if  possible,  for  they  were  made 
with  plain  edge,  of  strong  timber  and  laid  close 
together.  The  earliest  floors  were  not  double  in 
treatment,  therefore  the  edges  had  to  be  either 
lapped  or  rabbited. 

These  wide  boards  that  were  used  in  the  early 
construction  stand  the  test  of  furnaces  and  modern 
heating  a  great  deal  better  than  do  modern  ones 
of  the  same  width.  The  latter  are  much  more 
apt  to  shrink  and  open  joints.  It  will  be  found 
that  the  better  floors  are  in  the  second  story  in 
almost  every  house. 

It  is  probable,  however,  that  if  you  are  remodel- 
ing your  house,  you  will  have  to  lay  at  least  one 
or  more  floors,  and  in  such  cases,  matched  hem- 
lock is  the  most  advisable  for  the  under  floor; 

[198] 


THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 

but  the  boards  should  be  laid  diagonally  and  close 
together.  The  usual  method  is  to  lay  them  match- 
ing the  upper  floor.  It  is  a  great  mistake,  even 
if  advised  to  do  so  by  an  architect,  to  lay  only 
one  floor,  for  with  shrinkage  come  cracks  through 
which  cold  air  and  dust  can  rise;  even  a  carpet 
does  not  remedy  the  trouble. 

Hardwood  boards  make  the  most  popular  floors 
and  come  in  varying  thicknesses,  the  oak  being 
generally  three  eighths  of  an  inch  thick  and  the 
North  Carolina  pine  averaging  seven  eighths  of 
an  inch.  Both  are  employed  for  new  floors  and 
for  re-covering  old,  soft-wood  ones.  The  narrow 
width  of  oak  is  more  satisfactory,  as  the  narrower 
the  stock  the  smaller  the  space  between  the  strips 
and  the  less  danger  of  unsightly  appearance. 
They  may  be  a  little  more  expensive  than  the 
wider  ones,  but  they  make  a  much  better  showing. 
Then,  too,  the  shading  and  figure  blend  more 
harmoniously  than  when  the  broader  strips  are 
employed. 

Narrow  widths  also  obviate  any  danger  of  the 
flooring  strips  cupping,  as  they  are  laid  and  stay 
absolutely  flat.  One  should  be  careful  not  to 
lay  oak  flooring  while  the  walls  and  plaster  are 
damp;  in  fact,  if  you  have  to  do  much  remodel- 

[199] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

ing,  the  floor  should  be  the  last  thing  attended 
to,  as  it  is  a  better  plan  to  get  everything  else 
done  and  thoroughly  dried  —  even  to  painting, 
wall  hangings,  and  decorating. 

\     r-\ 

Hard  pine  is  best  for  the  kitchen,  as  it  does 
not  splinter,  is  more  reasonable  in  price,  and  has 
fine  wearing  qualities.  It  must  be  taken  into 
consideration  that  oak  flooring  is  cheaper  in  the 
end  than  carpet.  A  yard  of  carpet  is  twenty- 
seven  inches  wide  by  three  feet  in  length  and  con- 
tains six  and  three  quarters  square  feet.  Clear 
quartered-oak  flooring  can  be  bought,  laid,  and 
polished  for  one  dollar  per  carpet  yard,  and  when 
you  consider  the  lasting  qualities  of  the  wood  and 
the  beauty  of  a  polished  floor,  you  will  make  no 
mistake  to  put  in  one  of  the  better  quality,  more 
sanitary,  and  the  best  background  for  rugs,  in- 
stead of  laying  a  floor  of  cheap  wood. 

Carpets,  with  the  exception  of  straw  matting, 
are  inadvisable  for  a  home  like  this.  They  are 
unsanitary,  hold  the  dust,  and  are  not  nearly  as 
attractive  as  rugs.  These  may  vary  in  price  with 
the  purse  of  the  owner,  and  can  range  from  Orien- 
tal rugs,  costing  hundreds  of  dollars,  to  the  simple 
rag  rug  which  is  always  appropriate  and  in  good 
taste. 

[200] 


THE   FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 

The  absolute  carrying  out  of  the  Colonial  idea 
is  not  necessary,  for  it  would  not  be  appropriate 
to  have  old-fashioned  rag  mats  in  every  room  of 
the  house.  They  can  be  used,  however,  in  the 
dining-room  or  in  the  chambers,  and  to-day  the 
woven  rag  carpets  and  mats  are  so  attractive  in 
their  weave  and  so  lasting  that  they  are  satisfac- 
tory adjuncts  to  the  house  furnishings.  In  the 
parlor  and  living-room,  while  they  can  be  used  if 
desired,  there  are  so  many  attractive  low-priced 
rugs,  both  Oriental  and  domestic,  that  it  is  an 
easy  matter  to  get  something  both  suitable  and 
in  good  taste. 

-  This  attention  to  floors  and  their  covering  is 
nowhere  better  shown  than  in  the  Franklin  Brett 
House  at  North  Duxbury,  Massachusetts.  This 
house,  which  is  over  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
old,  was  put  up  at  auction  several  years  ago,  at 
just  the  time  when  the  present  owner  was  looking 
for  an  old  farmhouse  to  remodel.  It  was  a  double 
house  that  had  been  occupied  by  two  families. 
The  frame,  excepting  certain  parts  of  the  first 
floor  joints  and  also  portions  of  the  sills,  was  in  very 
good  condition,  but  the  first-floor  boarding  was 
badly  worn  and  was  not  fit  to  be  retained  for  use. 
It  was  replaced  by  a  new  one  of  narrow  boards. 

[201] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

The  second  story,  however,  was  in  much  better 
condition,  and  the  floors,  with  the  exception  of 
the  one  in  the  bathroom,  could  all  be  used.  The 
house  was  particularly  ugly,  displaying  a  combi- 
nation of  bright  yellow  paint  and  dark  red  trim, 
and  the  exterior  was  wholly  devoid  of  any  artistic 
design. 

At  the  front  of  the  house  there  was  a  wide  porch, 
—  just  a  simple  flooring  and  two  doors  that  stood 
side  by  side.  The  old  place  was  so  forlorn  that 
it  was  bid  in  during  the  excitement  of  the  auction 
partly  out  of  sympathy.  It  showed  so  little 
possibilities  that  at  first  the  owner  was  doubtful 
whether  it  had  been  a  good  purchase,  for  the  build- 
ing did  not  in  any  way  fit  his  ideal  of  what  was 
desired  in  order  to  make  a  suitable  summer  home. 

After  careful  examination,  however,  various 
possibilities  were  discovered  indicating  that  there 
was  a  very  good  chance  to  make  it  attractive. 
Originally  the  house  was  built  for  one  family  only ; 
in  architecture  it  was  square-framed,  containing 
two  stories  and  an  attic,  with  ells  at  the  rear  and 
one  side  and  a  deep,  sloping  roof  broken  by  two 
chimneys.  In  the  old  house  there  were  nine  rooms 
on  the  first  floor  and  five  rooms  and  a  hallway 
on  the  second.  Some  of  these  on  the  first  floor 

[202] 


Before  Remodeling 


As  Remodeled 
THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 


have  been  combined  by  removing  partitions  to 
make  a  living-room  and  dining-room,  together 
with  a  hallway. 

In  the  living-room  were  found  some  hand-hewn, 
second-floor  joists,  and  it  was  decided  to  leave 
these  exposed  and  plaster  in  between  them, 
instead  of  bringing  the  ceiling  down  to  its  origi- 
nal level.  In  practically  every  room  the  plaster 
was  in  good  condition  and  needed  only  to  be 
treated  in  places.  The  chimneys  were  touched 
up  wherever  needed,  but  on  the  whole  very  few 
repairs  were  necessary.  In  the  lower  story  to-day 
there  are  four  rooms  and  a  good-sized  hall,  while 
the  second  story  is  divided  into  six  rooms  and 
a  bathroom.  Five  additional  windows  were  added 
down-stairs  and  two  in  the  second  story,  in  order 
to  secure  proper  light.  Very  little  new  material 
was  put  into  the  house,  the  work  consisting  chiefly 
of  tearing  out  old  material  and  patching  woodwork 
and  plaster.  At  the  rear  of  the  house,  on  a  line 
with  the  larger  ell,  —  the  smaller  kitchen  ell 
having  been  torn  down,  —  a  rustic  pergola  was 
constructed  and  a  covered  veranda,  over  which 
grape-vines  were  trained  for  shade.  The  roof 
was  partially  reshingled,  and  the  house  was 
painted  light  gray  with  white  trim,  with  green  for 

[203] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

f--V   "^ 

the  blinds.  At  the  front  a  Colonial  porch  was 
added  with  latticed  sides  and  a  settle,  which  is  in 
direct  keeping  with  the  architecture  of  the  house. 
In  its  remodeled  condition,  with  its  setting  of 
closely  cropped  lawn,  it  bears  little  resemblance 
to  the  ugly  farmhouse  of  a  few  years  ago. 

There  was  no  plumbing  in  the  old  house,  so  a 
single  bathroom  was  put  in,  a  hot-water  boiler 
was  added  in  the  kitchen,  and  a  hot-air  engine 
and  pump  were  installed  in  the  cellar  which 
furnish  water  under  pressure  from  a  thousand- 
gallon  supply  tank.  Later  on,  a  hot-water  heater 
was  installed,  so  that  with  the  modern  improve- 
ments the  house  was  made  very  comfortable  for 
habitation  all  the  year  round  if  desired. 

The  original  parlor  on  the  left  has  been  utilized 
for  a  morning-room;  the  bedroom,  dining-room, 
and  pantry  have  been  combined  into  a  living- 
room.  The  partitions  between  the  old  hallways 
have  been  removed,  converting  them  into  one 
good-sized  hall.  The  remaining  portion  of  the 
old  dining-room  has  been  made  into  a  large  pantry. 
The  kitchen  in  the  main  ell  has  been  left  practi- 
cally unchanged  as  to  size  and  shape,  although 
the  shed  opening  from  it,  as  well  as  the  kitchen 
itself,  have  been  entirely  renovated  and  equipped 

[204] 


THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 

with  up-to-date  improvements.  Paint  and  paper 
and  rugs  have  effected  an  interior  transformation 
that  is  most  attractive.  There  are  no  doors  in  the 
house,  wide  openings  making  it  appear  as  though 
it  were  one  large  room. 

The  hallway  is  entered  from  the  Colonial  porch 
and  is  unique  because  of  its  spaciousness.  The 
stairs  are  at  the  further  end,  opposite  the  door. 
The  Colonial  atmosphere  has  been  maintained  in 
the  wall  hangings,  the  braided  rag  mats,  and  the 
old  furniture. 

At  the  left  of  the  hall  is  the  morning-room 
with  its  wide,  open  fireplace,  its  Colonial  paper, 
and  Oriental  rugs  which  are  in  color  tones  to 
correspond  with  the  paper. 

Opening  from  this  room  is  the  living-room, 
where  the  same  kind  of  rugs  are  laid  on  the  hard- 
wood floor.  In  this  room,  after  the  house  was 
purchased,  a  fireplace  was  discovered  hidden 
away  behind  the  partition.  It  was  opened  up 
and  restored  to  its  original  size.  At  one  side  a 
closet  was  glassed  in,  while  in  either  corner  cosy, 
built-in  settles  give  an  inglenook  effect  that  is 
very  interesting.  The  furnishings  are  wholly 
Colonial  and  in  keeping  with  the  general  character 
of  the  apartment.  Here  the  low  stud,  the  beamed 

[205] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

ceiling,  the  depth  and  lightness  of  the  room,  are 
most  attractive.  From  the  long  French  window 
one  steps  out  on  grass  land  which  commands  a 
most  attractive  vista  of  shrubbery  and  trees. 

In  the  planting  around  the  house,  great  care 
has  been  taken  to  secure  shade  and  picturesque- 
ness,  so  that  in  its  new  life  the  remodeled  farm- 
house is  surrounded  by  charming  effects. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hallway  one  enters 
the  long  dining-room.  It  is  finished  in  red  and 
white,  with  one-toned  hangings ;  at  the  farther 
end  is  a  quaint  corner  cupboard;  a  handsome 
fireplace  has  been  introduced  at  one  side.  Many 
of  the  pieces  in  this  room  are  very  rare,  especially 
the  Hepplewhite  sideboard,  the  chair-table  that 
was  once  owned  by  Governor  Bradford,  and  the 
rush-bottomed  chairs.  Long  glass  windows  open 
on  the  side  veranda  and  combine  with  attractively 
grouped  windows  to  make  this  room  light  and 
cheerful. 

Opening  out  of  this  is  the  pantry,  conveniently 
equipped  with  cupboards  and  shelves,  and  be- 
yond is  the  kitchen  and  shed  which  have  been 
made  entirely  modern  in  their  appointments. 

The  chambers  up-stairs  are  large,  square,  and 
fitted  up  with  furniture  of  the  period.  In  taking 

[206] 


The  Pergola-Porch 
THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 


A  First-floor  Vista 


The  Living  Room 
THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 


THE  FRANKLIN  BRETT  HOUSE 

a  "secret"  cupboard  out  of  a  closet,  there  was 
discovered  some  paneling  that  had  been  plastered 
and  papered  over.  On  removing  the  plaster,  it 
was  found  that  the  whole  side  of  the  room  was 
paneled.  By  the  restoration  of  this  old-time 
finish,  the  chamber  became  even  more  indicative 
of  the  period  in  which  it  was  built.  Here  the  wall 
hangings  are  all  Colonial  in  design. 

Few  houses,  even  among  the  many  that  are 
being  restored,  have  retained  the  old-time  atmos- 
phere throughout  as  completely  as  has  this  farm- 
house. Each  room  has  been  made  comfortable 
and  given  an  air  of  space,  and  consistency  has  been 
shown  in  the  furnishing,  thus  securing  a  result 
that  is  perfectly  harmonious  and  in  the  best  of 
taste.  By  comparing  the  appearance  of  the  old 
house  at  the  time  of  its  purchase  with  the  results 
that  have  been  obtained,  one  realizes  how  much 
thought  and  care  have  been  put  into  its  every 
part.  The  lines  remain  the  same  but  have  been 
extended  by  the  introduction  of  the  pergola  at  one 
side  and  a  porch  which  are  very  attractive 
features  in  themselves.  The  combination  of  old 
and  new,  correctly  treated,  has,  done  much  to  make 
a  harmonious  whole. 

[207] 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE   GEORGE   D.    HALL   HOUSE 

FORTUNATE  is  he  who,  on  opening  up  the  old 
fireplace  in  the  house  he  intends  to  remodel,  finds 
hidden  away  behind  plaster  and  paper  a  pair  of  old 
andirons  and  possibly  a  shovel  and  tongs,  indispen- 
sable furnishings  for  the  fireplace.  No  old  farm- 
house but  what  has  in  almost  every  room  some 
kind  of  an  open  hearth,  and  these  are  useless  for 
the  burning  of  wood  without  fire-dogs  or  andirons, 
as  they  are  commonly  known. 

To  the  inexperienced  house  owner  who  is  look- 
ing for  economy  in  his  house  furnishing,  repro- 
ductions are  tempting,  and  most  attractive  sets 
of  fire-dogs  are  to  be  found  in  almost  every  store. 
In  choosing  a  set,  however,  one  must  exercise 
judgment.  Many  of  the  reproductions  are  low 
in  cost  but  are  really  merely  lengths  of  brass  pip- 
ing, showing  brass  balls  that  are  lacquered  and 
strung  together  on  invisible  wire  frames.  They 
are  in  reality  the  cheapest  kind  of  spun-brass 
andirons.  If  one  with  a  knowledge  of  the  weight 

[208] 


THE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE 

of  brass  handles  them,  he  will  realize  their  flim- 
siness,  but  thousands  of  people  do  not  recognize 
the  difference.  Poor  fireplace  accessories  such 
as  these  detract  greatly  from  the  charm  that  sur- 
rounds a  good  hearth  and  mantel. 

It  is  no  longer  easy  to  pick  up  original,  cut- 
brass  andirons  at  the  antique  and  junk  shops,  — 
that  is,  at  a  reasonable  price.  It  is  in  the  country 
places,  old  farmhouses,  and  from  people  who  have 
not  yet  learned  to  gage  their  worth,  that  one  can 
get  a  good  bargain,  bringing  often  only  three  or 
four  dollars  a  pair,  and  being  of  the  best  material. 
In  reproduction  there  are  on  the  market  to-day 
plenty  of  good,  cast-brass  andirons,  but  they  are 
expensive  and  cannot  be  purchased  at  less  than 
seven  dollars,  ranging  from  that  to  a  hundred 
dollars  a  pair,  while  the  spun-brass  kind  may  be 
purchased  for  two  dollars  and  a  half  a  pair. 

Andirons  come  in  a  great  many  heights,  and  in 
the  olden  times  two  sets  were  used,  the  one  hold- 
ing the  forestick,  and  the  other  the  backlog.  In 
addition  to  that,  in  the  earliest  American  houses, 
creepers  were  used ;  they  were,  in  reality,  of  iron, 
small  enough  to  be  placed  between  the  andirons, 
and  they  helped  out  in  holding  the  sticks.  The 
first  material  used  for  andirons  was  iron,  and 

[209] 


we  find  to-day  occasional  specimens  of  this  kind, 
many  of  them  not  particularly  graceful,  while 
others  are  very  ornamental  in  design.  There 
are  the  Hessian  andirons  which  are  found  either 
in  plain  iron  or  decorated  with  bright  paint ;  these 
came  into  use  about  1776  and  were  used  to  cari- 
cature the  British  soldiers  who  were  very  unpop- 
ular in  our  country. 

The  most  interesting  of  these  old  andirons  show 
unusual  shapes,  a  great  many  of  them  having  artis- 
tic ornamentation;  occasionally  we  find  them 
with  brass  tops.  It  was  fitting  to  use  this  metal, 
on  account  of  the  fire  frame,  which  was  of  cast- 
iron  as  well,  and  while  many  of  these  were  of 
foreign  manufacture,  yet  not  a  few  were  fashioned 
by  the  village  blacksmith.  In  the  choice  of 
andirons,  the  size  of  the  fireplace  should  be  con- 
sidered; the  small  ones  should  not  have  the 
steeple  tops  but  small,  ball  pattern  or  some  other 
design  that  is  low  enough  not  to  crowd  the  fire- 
place and  thus  give  the  impression  of  bad  taste. 
The  large  fireplaces  need  the  high  andirons,  of 
which  there  are  so  many  different  kinds.  The  mod- 
ern adaptation  of  the  Colonial  has  brought  these 
furnishings  into  vogue,  so  that  to-day  it  would  be 
almost  impossible  to  tell  the  old  from  the  new. 

Uio] 


THE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE 

Shovel  and  tongs  were  much  used  during  the 
early  period,  but  a  poker  never  accompanied  the 
set.  These  appeared  after  the  introduction  of 
coal  and  are  found  among  the  reproductions  on 
the  market  to-day.  Another  bit  of  the  furnish- 
ings is  the  fender,  of  which  there  are  many  designs, 
some  being  of  simple  wire  painted  black  with 
brass  top  and  balls,  while  others  are  entirely  of 
brass.  The  warming-pan  is  an  appropriate  acces- 
sory for  this  part  of  the  room ;  it  should  be  hung 
on  a  peg  at  one  side  of  the  hearth.  In  addition 
to  that,  we  find  the  bellows,  some  of  which  are 
most  decorative  in  their  design.  The  proper 
selection  of  this  furniture  gives  an  air  of  refine- 
ment to  the  room. 

There  is  a  most  attractive  farmhouse  situated 
in  Dover,  Massachusetts.  It  is  owned  by  Mr. 
George  D.  Hall,  and  shows  a  series  of  remodelings, 
rather  than  a  complete  work,  for  each  year  an 
addition  has  been  made  which  has  bettered  the 
initial  scheme.  The  original  farmhouse,  for  in- 
stance, which  was  built  in  1729,.  was  a  small,  un- 
pretentious building  that  was  very  dilapidated  in 
condition,  but  whose  situation  appealed  to  its 
present  owner.  It  was  his  desire  to  obtain  an 
old  house  that  could  be  used  if  need  be  for  an 

[211] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

all-the-year-round  home;  plenty  of  land,  pictur- 
esque views,  good  landscape  effects,  and  ample 
elbow  room  were  what  he  especially  desired. 

The  house  stands  back  from  a  winding  country 
road  in  one  of  the  most  picturesque  situations  it 
would  be  possible  to  find.  An  old  stone  wall, 
built  over  a  century  ago  by  the  original  owner, 
still  forms  a  boundary  line  to  protect  the  grounds. 
Few  estates  show  so  many  beautiful  trees;  they 
add  greatly  to  the  pictorial  effect  of  the  place. 
Graceful  elms  with  swaying  branches  are  on 
every  side,  while  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road 
pine  trees  are  in  evidence,  and  on  either  side  of 
the  stone  wall  wild  shrubs  have  been  planted. 
There  has  been  no  attempt  at  formal  arrangement 
of  the  grounds,  not  even  with  the  garden  which 
is  at  the  side  of  the  house.  There  has  been  built 
simply  a  picturesque  lattice  that  separates  house 
from  barn  and  over  which  have  been  trained 
attractive  vines. 

In  1907  a  wing  was  thrown  out  to  the  south, 
with  an  enclosed,  tiled  porch  and  a  sitting-room 
above.  A  small  eyebrow  window  was  placed 
in  the  roof  to  light  the  stairway,  while  the  original 
porch  on  the  west  and  south  was  carefully  retained. 
Two  years  later  this  porch  was  removed,  and  a 

[212] 


P-J 


As  Finally  Remodeled 


The  Sun  Parlor 
LONE  TREE  FARM 


THE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE 

smaller  entrance  one  was  substituted.  This 
showed  a  brick  walk  extending  from  carriage 
block  to  covered  loggia  at  the  south.  Again  in 
1914  the  eyebrow  window  was  removed,  and 
dormers  inserted  in  the  roof.  An  open,  tiled  plat- 
form was  built  outside  the  enclosed  loggia,  and  a 
sleeping-porch  was  added  to  the  east  sitting-room. 
A  garden  and  pond  were  laid  out  to  the  south  of 
the  loggia,  with  a  vista  framed  by  two  huge  elms 
that  were  some  thirty  feet  south  of  the  house. 
These  improvements  have  converted  the  old 
farmhouse  into  one  of  the  most  interesting  and 
beautiful  houses  that  can  be  found.  \ 

Within  the  last  few  years  the  planting  and  gar- 
den effects  have  been  more  carefully  considered; 
the  grounds  have  been  enlarged,  and  at  the  left 
of  the  house  an  old-fashioned  garden  has  been 
laid  out  with  a  gazing-globe  for  the  central  feature. 
The  name  "Lone  Tree  Farm"  was  given  at  the 
time  of  purchase  from  the  fact  that  a  single  tree 
guarded  the  house  at  the  front.  This  tree  still 
stands  but  has  been  enhanced  by  the  careful  plant- 
ing of  shrubbery  on  either  side  the  driveway, 
which  has  now  grown  until  it  has  become  a  par- 
tial screen  for  the  lower  floor  of  the  farmhouse. 
Other  trees  have  been  added,  and  in  order  to 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

obtain  the  seclusion  desired,  extensive  grounds 
have  been  purchased  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
road,  so  that  no  neighbors  may  come  near  enough 
to  detract  from  the  quiet. 

In  remodeling  this  house,  an  ell  has  been  added 
at  the  rear  for  the  service  department,  and  a 
sun-parlor  has  been  thrown  out  at  one  side.  This 
makes  a  most  attractive  living-room  in  winter 
and,  with  windows  removed,  a  cool  sleeping-porch 
in  the  summer.  The  Colonial  porch  which  has 
been  added  at  the  front  is  much  more  attractive 
than  the  former  long  veranda  which  is  replaced 
by  the  sun-parlor.  In  painting  the  house,  white 
has  been  used  with  green  blinds,  so  that  it  is  in 
reality  a  symphony  of  green  and  white,  and  as  it 
stands  in  the  center  of  the  lot,  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  pasture  land,  gardens,  and  meadows, 
and  on  the  front  by  hundreds  of  acres  of  wood- 
land, it  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  studies  in 
house  remodeling  to  be  found. 

The  small  hallway  is  simply  an  entrance  with 
narrow,  winding  staircase  that  leads  by  easy 
treads  to  the  second-story  floor.  In  1914,  in 
ripping  out  these  front  stairs  to  secure  the  space 
above  them  for  a  small  room,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  old  smoke-house,  where  in  olden  days 

[214] 


THE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE 

hams  were  cured,  and  the  back  of  the  bake  oven 
behind  it  had  not  been  torn  out.  The  former 
consisted  of  two  Gothic  arches,  the  taller  of  which 
was  twenty  feet  in  height ;  the  shape  was  depend- 
ent on  the  two  fireplaces  in  adjoining  rooms. 
The  smoke-house  is  about  five  feet  deep  and  when 
discovered  was  enclosed  with  an  inch  of  greasy 
soot.  An  oak  cross-beam  with  hand-wrought 
nails  indicated  where  the  hogs  were  hung.  It 
had  been  left  in  its  natural  state  after  being 
cleaned  out,  and  as  it  looked  crude  to  one  entering 
the  front  door,  it  was  shut  off  with  an  old,  paneled 
door,  so  that  the  hall,  with  stairs  removed,  is  now 
shaped  like  six  sides  of  a  hexagon,  the  front  door 
remaining  where  it  originally  was  placed. 

The  living-room,  which  is  at  the  right  of  the 
hallway,  has  been  made  from  two  rooms.  In 
this  the  old  woodwork  has  been  carefully  retained, 
and  the  walls  have  been  hung  with  a  soft  green 
that  is  a  fine  background  for  the  many  pictures 
and  which  brings  out  the  beauty  of  the  white 
woodwork.  The  furniture  here  does  not  follow 
the  Colonial  lines,  for  comfort  has  been  the  first 
consideration.  It  is  shown  in  the  large,  roomy 
davenport  piled  with  sofa  pillows  and  the  comfort- 
able armchair  at  one  side  of  the  open  fireplace. 

[215] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Here  the  owner  has  supplied  the  correct  fireplace 
accessories,  the  andirons  being  low  with  brass 
ball  tops,  and  the  shovel  and  tongs  having  the 
same  finish.  The  mantel,  while  not  elaborate, 
shows  hand-carving  and  paneling.  Bookcases  are 
a  feature  of  this  room  and  are  found  everywhere. 

Opening  from  the  living-room  is  the  glass- 
enclosed  sun-parlor  which  has  been  tiled,  and  in 
which  is  a  modern  fireplace  of  bricks  laid  in  white 
mortar.  Over  it  is  a  bas-relief.  The  andirons 
are  high,  of  modern  type,  showing  fleur-de-lis 
design,  and  are  in  keeping  with  the  fireplace. 
Willow  furniture  is  used  in  order  to  give  the 
sun-parlor  a  light  touch  which  could  not  have  been 
done  if  the  Colonial  idea  had  been  carried  out. 
It  is  an  ideal  summer  living-room,  being  sunny 
most  of  the  day.  Then,  too,  its  location  is  well 
chosen,  as  it  overlooks  the  old-fashionedjgarden 
and  commands  vistas  cut  in  trees  and  shrubbery. 

The  den,  used  extensively  by  the  owner,  is  a 
typical  man's  room.  Built-in  bookcases  and 
window-seats  give  it  a  most  livable  look,  while 
pictures  of  the  hunt  line  the  wall,  and  a  hunting 
scene  is  used  as  a  frieze.  It  is  placed  in  a  sunny 
part  of  the  house  so  as  to  catch  as  much  light  as 
possible. 

[216] 


THE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE 

The  dining-room  was  made  from  a  part  of  the 
old  kitchen  and  strangely  enough  shows  fine 
paneling  of  white  pine,  which  has  been  carefully 
preserved  and  makes  a  background  for  the  mantel 
ornaments.  The  mantel  shelf  is  narrow  and 
extends  around  the  whole  fireplace;  the  old 
chimney  has  been  partly  built  in  for  modern  use, 
while  the  andirons  are  very  unique  reproductions. 
The  old  crane  has  been  retained,  as  have  the  pot- 
hooks and  iron  kettle,  while  the  old  brick  oven, 
now  never  used,  is  a  memento  of  the  days  when 
our  grandmothers  cooked  with  great  logs  of  wood, 
heating  the  oven  once  a  week  in  order  to  do  the 
family  baking.  The  furniture  is  of  the  Colonial 
type,  while  the  rugs  are  modern  but  blend  with 
the  scheme  color  of  the  room.  It  is  large,  well- 
lighted  by  many  windows,  and  divided  by  an 
alcove  only  from  the  living-room  which  adjoins  it. 

Every  room  in  this  house  has  been  carefully 
considered  with  regard  to  view,  and  one  can  stand 
at  any  window  and  look  out  upon  a  different 
phase  of  country  life,  for  trees  and  shrubbery  are 
so  arranged  that  the  grounds  lend  themselves 
admirably  to  pictorial  effects  upon  which  no 
neighboring  house  intrudes. 

Up-stairs  in  the  ell  of  the  house,  over  the  sun- 
[217] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

parlor,  is  a  large  sitting-room.  It  has  been  so 
designed  that  it  faces  three  different  directions 
and  is  lighted  by  a  group  of  long  windows  at 
one  side.  In  this  room  the  sunlight  lays  practi- 
cally all  day,  making  it  a  bright,  livable  room, 
where  Colonial  features  have  not  been  considered. 
To  be  sure  there  are  several  pieces,  such  as  the 
old-time  work-table,  but  modem  ideas  mainly 
have  been  introduced.  On  either  side  of  the 
cluster  of  windows  are  built-in  bookcases  which 
have  been  painted  white  to  match  the  trim  and 
are  filled  with,  well-read  books.  Between  these 
bookcases  is  a  long  window-seat,  beneath  which 
drawers  have  been  built  which  are  very  convenient 
for  holding  unfinished  work.  The  hangings  are 
of  muslin  with  blue  over-drapery,  harmonizing 
with  the  color  scheme  of  the  room.  A  large,  open 
fireplace  on  the  opposite  side  provides  for  a  cheery 
wood  fire,  more  especially  on  stormy  days,  for  this 
house  is  one  that  is  lived  in  all  the  year  round,  so 
that  heating  and  lighting  had  to  be  taken  into 
consideration. 

In  addition  to  this  room  there  are  three  cham- 
bers, two  bathrooms,  and  a  closet  on  the  floor. 
Each  one  of  these  chambers  has  been  given  a 
different  treatment.  One  of  the  most  interesting 

[218] 


The  Living  Room 


A  Corner  in  the  Dining  Room 
LONE  TREE  FARM 


The  Sewing  Room 


The  Den 
LONE  TREE  FARM 


THE  GEORGE  D.  HALL  HOUSE 

shows  fine  woodwork  in  the  paneled  doors  and 
also  in  the  small  closet  that  is  over  the  fireplace, 
a  favorite  place  for  a  closet  to  be  introduced  in 
the  early  days.  The  fireplace  is  not  a  large  one, 
and  the  andirons  are  small-sized  steeple  tops. 
The  bed  is  an  old  slat  bed,  while  every  piece  of 
furniture  is  in  keeping  with  the  period. 

Take  it  all  in  all,  one  rarely  finds  a  farmhouse 
that  shows  more  attractive  features  than  this 
one,  where  comfort,  light,  and  view  have  all  been 
carefully  considered.  It  is  perfectly  available 
for  an  all-the-year-round  home,  as  it  is  not  too 
far  from  the  station  to  allow  its  occupants  to  go 
back  and  forth  to  business  every  day. 


[219] 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE   WALTER   SCOTT   HOPKINS    HOUSE 

WHEN  you  plan  to  remodel  your  house,  there  is 
nothing  that  should  receive  much  more  careful 
attention  than  the  closets.  It  is  doubtful,  that  is, 
if  the  house  is  of  the  earliest  period,  if  you  will 
find  many.  Our  emigrant  ancestors  did  not  have 
as  many  clothes  or  table  appointments  as  we  re- 
quire to-day.  The  few  of  the  former  they  pos- 
sessed were  hung  on  pegs  or  disposed  of  in  chests ; 
the  dishes  were  placed  on  racks,  thus  eliminating 
the  necessity  for  closet  room  in  houses  where 
every  available  bit  of  space  was  utilized  for  living 
purposes. 

In  all  probability  you  will  find  corner  cupboards 
which  will  be  more  or  less  elaborate  in  design. 
The  best  examples  show  a  shell  treatment.  The 
earliest  corner  cupboards  were  clumsy  affairs, 
being  movable ;  later  on  they  were  built  into  the 
house  and  employed  to  hold  family  china  and 
glassware.  There  was  a  great  variety  in  these 
closets,  some  being  fitted  up  with  shelves  only, 

[220] 


THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE 

while  others  were  divided  in  two,  the  underneath 
part  being  used  for  books  and  odds  and  ends. 

Fortunate  is  the  house  owner  who  finds  in  his 
old  house  one  or  more  of  these  old  corner  cup- 
boards. To  be  sure  they  can  be  reproduced ; 
but  how  much  better  are  the  originals.  Dig  out 
the  old  plaster,  rip  open  the  sides  of  the  parti- 
tions, if  you  think  there  is  any  chance  of  odd 
closets  being  hidden  away  between,  and  remember 
that  in  many  old  houses  there  are  secret  closets, 
and  it  will  pay  you  to  tap  the  wall  space  to  dis- 
cover their  whereabouts.  Sometimes  they  are 
hidden  under  the  flooring,  and  again  the  space 
between  the  windows  is  used  for  this  purpose. 
It  is  always  well  to  open  them,  for  who  knows 
what  valuable  heirlooms  may  be  hidden  inside. 

There  are  plenty  of  spaces  where  new  closets 
can  be  introduced  as,  for  instance,  the  end  of  the 
dining-room,  where  a  glassed-in  china  closet  with 
an  arched  top  and  half-domed  interior  makes  an 
excellent  place  to  display  the  old  china  and  glass. 
Panels  in  the  wainscot  can  be  utilized,  more 
especially  when  they  are  under  the  first  step  of 
the  staircase.  These  are  most  convenient  for 
filing  newspapers  or  any  magazines  that  are  kept 
for  reference. 

[221] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

If  the  hallway  is  paneled,  it  is  a  very  easy  matter 
to  put  an  invisible  door  into  one  of  the  panels. 
This  can  be  used  for  the  coat  closet,  with  a  low 
shelf  underneath  to  hold  hats;  and  on  the  floor 
partitions  can  be  made  to  hold  rubbers.  On 
each  side  of  the  chimney  a  great  deal  of  waste 
space  can  be  converted  into  bookcases,  with  little, 
leaded,  glass  doors.  Above  the  mantel,  set  in  the 
chimney-breast,  will  be  found  spaces  which  even 
in  the  early  days  were  devoted  to  closets.  They 
are  cut  in  a  panel  and  were  used  to  protect  china 
or  old  pewter  from  the  dust.  Sometimes  three 
of  these  closets  have  been  found  built  into  the 
fireplaces,  all  of  which  were  used  to  hold  the  house- 
hold china. 

In  the  upper  part  of  the  house,  under  the  attic 
stairs,  can  generally  be  found  places  that  can  be 
made  into  linen  closets,  but  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  if  no  ventilation  is  allowed,  cloth  will 
become  yellowed,  so  by  all  means  have  brass 
ventilators  in  the  doors.  Whatever  the  purpose 
of  the  closet,  its  location  should  be  carefully 
considered,  —  the  shape,  the  place,  and  the  cost, 
—  so  that  as  many  as  possible  can  be  introduced. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  majority  of  old-time 
farmhouses  readily  adapt  themselves  to  modern 

[222] 


THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE 

requirements  and  show  possibilities  that  allow  of 
most  attractive  development.  The  result  of  work- 
ing out  certain  possibilities  is  shown  in  the  Walter 
Scott  Hopkins  house  at  Reading,  Massachusetts. 
It  is  a  long,  rambling  house  that  seemed  when 
first  purchased  wholly  lacking  in  artistic  quali- 
ties, and  it  was  not  until  after  careful  deliberation 
that  the  owner  realized  that  the  old  farmhouse,  be- 
neath its  coating  of  accumulated  dust,  possessed 
a  wealth  of  fine  features  that  were  well  worth 
developing. 

The  house  had  been  used  for  two  families,  and 
each  section  was  separate  and  distinct,  although 
under  the  same  roof.  It  was  built  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  and  contains  fine 
woodwork,  —  better  than  that  found  in  most 
houses  of  that  day.  All  the  distinctive  features 
of  the  Colonial  architecture  were  evident  in  this 
old  farmhouse,  where  unbroken  roof-line,  close- 
cropped  eaves,  and  small-paned  windows  were 
placed  with  4  mathematical  precision,  and  the 
severely  simple  exterior  was  in  strict  conformity 
with  the  period. 

In  remodeling  the  house,  the  original  outlines 
were  carefully  preserved,  and  the  additions  were 
made  to  conform.  The  small,  ugly  entrances 

[223] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

which  had  marred  the  exterior  of  the  house  were 
torn  down  and  replaced  by  windows,  so  that  only 
a  single  entrance  was  left.  A  very  attractive 
porch  with  sloping  roof-line  was  supported  by 
solid  but  unornamented  columns.  In  the  roof 
dormer  windows  were  cut,  both  at  the  front  and 
rear.  This  was  to  make  the  attic  practical  for 
living  purposes  by  affording  sufficient  light  and 
air.  At  one  side  of  the  house,  in  place  of  the 
woodshed,  an  out-of-door  living-room  was  added, 
broad  and  low  of  build,  with  a  sloping  roof  that 
harmonized  in  outline  with  the  main  roof.  At 
the  rear  a  small  addition  of  the  deep,  bay-window 
type  was  added ;  this  was  to  secure  extra  space 
for  the  newly  arranged  dining-room  and  the 
remodeled  kitchen.  Two  small  porches  were  built 
in  addition  to  the  new  trellised  entrance,  giving  a 
simple  dignity  to  the  old  house,  which  has  been 
painted  white  with  green  blinds. 

The  grounds,  rough  and  unkempt,  with  a  stone 
wall  defining  a  part  of  them,  were  beautified  to 
afford  a  fitting  environment  for  the  new  home, 
and  to-day  smooth  sweeps  of  lawn  and  judicious 
groupings  "of  shrubbery  add  in  no  small  degree 
to  the  exterior  attractiveness  of  the  old  home- 
stead. A  path  of  rough,  irregular  flagstones  leads 

[224] 


1 


<u 

"O 
O 
6 


THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE 

to  the  main  entrance,  and  a  similar  path  winds 
from  the  street  to  a  gateway  in  the  outlying  wall 
and  opens  into  a  charming  garden  plot  that  has 
been  laid  out  just  beyond  the  outdoor  living- 
room.  Planting  has  been  judiciously  carried  out, 
and  the  estate  has  been  brought  to  a  fine  state  of 
cultivation,  with  the  result  that  it  has  become  an 
attractive  setting  for  the  remodeled  house,  which 
stands  on  the  slope  of  a  hill. 

The  interior  required  a  great  deal  of  altering, 
including  much  tearing  down  of  partitions  to  suit 
present-day  needs  and  to  make  broad,  spacious 
rooms  out  of  the  tiny  spaces  which  sufficed  a  cen- 
tury or  more  ago.  There  was  installation  of  plumb- 
ing, lighting  and  heating  devices,  in  order  to 
meet  the  demands  of  modern  life,  and  the  New 
England  attic  was  made  over  into  servants' 
quarters  that  were  sufficiently  ample  for  a  large 
country  house. 

A  leaded  glass  door  that  shows  fanlight  above 
opens  into  a  broad,  low-ceilinged  hall.  At  one 
side  is  a  large  fireplace,  and  a  heavy  beam  crosses 
the  ceiling.  To  the  right  is  the  new  dining-room, 
to  the  left  the  living-room,  and  from  the  end  of 
the  hall  opens  the  den,  a  passageway  connecting 
this  with  the  servants'  department.  In  all  the 

["S3 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

rooms  every  detail  of  the  old-fashioned  construc- 
tion has  been  retained.  The  fine  woodwork 
shows  the  original  paneling;  the  great  fireplaces 
with  their  chimney  closets  have  been  preserved 
intact,  and  even  the  old,  hand-made  hardware 
has  been  retained  for  present-day  use.  Cupboards 
were  discovered,  when  the  coating  of  plaster  and 
paper  were  removed,  and  are  serving  the  same 
purpose  in  the  twentieth-century  home  that  they 
did  years  ago  in  the  Colonial  one;  and  the  new 
cupboards  that  have  been  added  seem  to  fit  in  as 
if  they  had  always  been  there.  The  house  in  its 
entirety  shows  many  points  that  are  of  unusual 
interest.  The  arrangement  of  the  windows  is 
particularly  good,  as  are  the  chimneys,  while  the 
sweeping  roof-line  at  the  rear  carries  out  the  old 
contour  and  yet  has  been  slightly  changed  to 
afford  light  and  air  to  chambers  inside.  The 
semblance  of  the  original  farmhouse  has  been 
left  unaltered,  while  the  really  radical  changes 
have  been  tempered  with  a  regard  for  the  preser- 
vation of  the  old-time  atmosphere. 

The  living-room  shows  a  typical  old  farmhouse 
room.  The  woodwork  here  is  particularly  good; 
there  is  a  wainscot  three  feet  high  that  comes  above 
the  lower  sill  of  the  window  frame,  and  which  is 

[226] 


THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE 

paneled  in  doors  and  over  the  mantel.  The  fire- 
place has  remained  unchanged,  being  a  Colonial 
one  of  huge  size.  The  early  period  is  evidenced 
in  the  absence  of  a  mantel,  which  brings  out  the 
lines  of  the  wonderful  old  woodwork  to  the  greatest 
advantage.  The  andirons,  instead  of  following 
the  sixteenth  or  seventeenth-century  type,  repre- 
sent griffins.  A  nightcap  closet,  introduced  in 
the  middle  panel  over  the  fireplace,  shows  the 
original  H  hinges  of  iron.  When  the  house  was 
first  purchased,  these  were  hidden  away,  and  only 
when  the  original  woodwork  was  reached  were 
they  discovered,  restored,  treated  to  a  coat  of 
white  paint,  and  adapted  to  present  use.  This 
is  a  feature  that  is  rarely  found  in  the  remodeled 
farmhouse  of  to-day.  The  walls  are  hung  with  a 
one-toned  paper  of  soft  coloring,  while  plain 
muslin  curtains  shade  the  windows.  The  old 
floor  was  re-laid  with  narrow  boards  over  which 
are  laid  Daghestan  rugs;  Mission  furniture  is 
used.  The  lighting  fixtures  are  of  the  Colonial 
type  and  placed  at  the  sides  only.  The  room 
contains  many  well-placed  windows  which  give 
to  it  light  and  air. 

The  dining-room  is  at  the  rear  of  the  living-room 
and  opens  into  it,  being  connected  with  a  wide 

[227] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

opening  so  that,  if  need  be,  the  rooms  can  be  used 
as  one,  giving  plenty  of  space  for  large  dinner 
parties.  Here  the  woodwork  has  been  restored 
to  its  original  charming  simplicity  and  painted 
white  to  match  that  of  the  living-room.  The 
walls  have  been  covered  with  a  dark-toned  paper, 
and  at  one  end,  opposite  the  living-room,  an  al- 
coved  recess  has  been  added  in  order  that  its  group 
of  windows  may  give  better  lighting  to  the  dining- 
room  which  is  exposed  to  the  outside  on  two  sides 
only.  The  floors  of  this  room,  too,  have  been 
re-laid  and  handsomely  polished,  and  are  an 
effective  foil  to  the  domestic  rug  which  is  used. 
Here,  also,  the  furniture  follows  the  Mission 
style,  in  order  to  be  in  keeping  with  that  of  the 
living-room.  The  lighting  fixtures  are  of  the 
same  type  found  in  the  adjoining  room  and  are 
also  side  lights,  considered  more  effective  because 
softer  than  a  ceiling  light. 

In  order  to  let  the  light  in  from  the  hallway, 
windows  were  inserted  which  follow  the  early 
window  casing  in  their  plain  style  and  contain 
small  panes,  there  being  no  elaboration.  They 
are  placed  on  either  side  of  the  entrance  door, 
which  is  glassed  in  the  upper  portion.  Here,  as 
all  through  the  house,  the  early  style  of  small- 

[228] 


S     * 

o      a, 
o      o 


'>        O 


Two  Views  of  the  Dining  Room 
THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE 


THE  WALTER  SCOTT  HOPKINS  HOUSE 

paned  windows  has  been  retained.  There  are 
many  reasons  why  these  are  advantageous :  not 
only  do  they  follow  the  period  in  which  the  house 
was  built,  carrying  out  details  correctly,  but  when 
broken  they  are  more  easily  replaced,  though 
much  harder  to  keep  clean.  These  windows  are 
usually  placed  near  the  ceiling,  being  designed 
for  light  and  ornamentation,  rather  than  as 
outlooks.  The  ornamental  design  which  has  been 
carried  out  in  the  arrangement  of  windows  and 
door  is  unusual  even  in  Colonial  houses,  where 
the  low  stud  and  the  beamed  ceiling  helped  much 
towards  effectiveness. 

This  room  was  originally  the  kitchen  and  bed- 
room combined.  The  old  fireplace  has  been  pre- 
served, as  has  the  brick  oven,  and  over  it  is  a 
series  of  small  closets  such  as  are  rarely  found. 
There  is  a  central  closet  and  a  smaller  one  on 
either  side.  Here  the  H  hinges  have  been  retained 
and  also  the  old-time  latches. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  hall  is  the  parlor, 
which  corresponds  in  size  to  the  living-room  and 
shows  equally  fine  woodwork.  This  was  origi- 
nally the  parlor  in  the  farther  side  of  the  double 
house  and  has  been  left  practically  its  original 
shape  and  size,  for  in  this  part  of  the  house  very 

[229] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

little  remodeling  has  been  done.  The  old  fire- 
place has  been  retained  at  the  farther  end  of  the 
room. 

At  the  rear  of  this,  what  was  once  the  sitting- 
room  has  been  converted  into  an  office.  Beyond 
this  room,  the  original  kitchen  on  that  side  of 
the  house  and  the  shed  have  been  thrown  into  a 
most  attractive  summer  room. 

In  the  story  above  there  were  formerly  two  large 
bedrooms  on  either  side.  These  remain  practically 
as  they  were  and  are  furnished  with  Colonial 
pieces.  The  old  attic,  which  originally  was  used 
for  clutter,  is  now  remodeled  into  servants'  quar- 
ters and  by  the  addition  of  the  dormer  windows 
has  been  made  into  comfortable  rooms  which 
can  be  kept  cool  during  the  warm  weather  by  the 
cross  draughts. 

The  architects  were  very  wise  in  remodeling 
this  house  so  as  to  show  its  extremely  simple 
lines,  for  they  give  it  individuality  and  character 
and  accentuate  certain  features  that  were  neces- 
sary to  create  of  it  a  home  for  one  family.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  the  alterations  have  been  planned 
and  executed  with  rare  taste  and  discrimination. 


[230] 


CHAPTER  XXI 
HENRY  w.  WRIGHT'S  HOUSE 

PEOPLE  who  possess  old  pieces  of  furniture 
often  have  very  erroneous  ideas  as  to  their  real 
age  and  call  everything  "Colonial"  for  want  of 
a  better  name.  They  assume,  that  is,  if  they  have 
not  made  a  careful  study  of  the  subject,  that 
anything  belonging  to  their  great  grandmother 
must  be  at  least  two  hundred  years  old.  But, 
for  instance,  sideboards  were  not  made  two 
hundred  years  ago,  and  Chippendale  never  de- 
signed one ;  the  nearest  he  came  to  it  was  a  serv- 
ing-table. People  get  an  impression  that  he 
included  this  piece  of  furniture  in  his  productions, 
but  they  are  wrong  in  their  assumption. 

The  revival  of  interest  in  "antiques"  has  caused 
many  an  heirloom  that  has  been  relegated  to 
attic  or  storehouse  to  be  brought  out,  renovated, 
and  given  a  prominent  place.  Can  we  assign  to 
each  ancient  article  an  approximate  date  or  maker, 
it  becomes  much  more  valuable  than  the  daintiest 
piece  of  up-to-date  furniture.  Worm-holes  are  a 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

sign  of  age  and  a  proof  of  guarantee,  that  is,  if 
the  pieces  are  family  possessions.  There  is  so 
much  cunning  workmanship  in  remodeled  furni- 
ture that  this  does  not  apply  to  every  bit,  though 
apparently  original.  It  must  be  remembered 
that  very  few  furnishings  were  brought  over  by 
the  colonists,  and  the  early  houses  were  very 
scantily  supplied. 

The  oldest  furniture  was  made  of  oak;  it  was 
very  heavy  and  showed  more  or  less  elaboration 
in  carving.  Chests  made  at  this  early  period  are 
often  found  in  families  where  they  have  been  care- 
fully treasured  since  they  were  brought  over  the 
sea  packed  with  clothing. 

The  three  leading  cabinetmakers  were  Chippen- 
dale, Hepplewhite,  and  Sheraton.  Chippendale 
was  the  earliest  but  was  not  appreciated  until 
after  his  death.  His  masterpieces,  which  com- 
bined the  Chinese,  French,  and  Dutch  models 
with  ideas  originated  in  his  own  brain,  were  so 
perfectly  constructed  that  we  find  them  in  a  fine 
state  of  preservation  even  to-day. 

Lighter  and  more  dainty  in  character  were  the 
designs  of  Hepplewhite,  who  cultivated  a  freedom 
of  line  such  as  was  adopted  by  his  predecessor, 
but  who  banished  the  Chippendale  heaviness. 

[232] 


HENRY  W.  WRIGHTS  HOUSE 

The  Prince  of  Wales  feather  was  a  favorite  design 
of  his.  Carved  drapery,  the  belle-flower,  and 
wheat  were  often  used  by  him.  A  distinguish- 
ing mark  was  usually  given  to  the  backs  of  his 
chairs,  which  are  either  oval,  heart,  or  shield- 
shaped.  They  were  finished  in  japanned  work 
and  often  inlaid  in  light  and  dark  wood.  The 
legs  were  generally  much  more  slender  than  the 
Chippendale  and  often  ended  in  what  is  known  as 
a  spade-foot. 

Sheraton,  who  succeeded  him,  took  advantage 
of  the  ideas  of  his  forerunners  and  revealed  a 
still  more  delicate  touch,  although  he  retained 
many  of  Hepplewhite's  ideas  which  he  strength- 
ened and  improved.  The  shield  is  rarely  if  ever 
found  in  a  chair  of  his  make,  which  can  be  dis- 
tinguished by  its  rectangular  back  and  its  slen- 
der uprights,  ranging  in  number  from  four  to 
seven.  The  legs  show  a  great  many  different 
styles,  the  best  being  straight,  while  carved, 
fluted,  and  twisted  ones  are  also  found.  The 
general  trend  of  fancy  in  those  days  was  towards 
light,  elegant  designs  and  showy  decorations. 
Sheraton  indulged  his  fancy  for  brilliant  coloring 
in  the  most  gorgeously  painted  decorations,  com- 
bining them  with  inlay  and  carving.  Next  he 

[233] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

introduced  white  and  gold,  following  the  French 
style,  and  still  later  the  brass  inlay  so  fashionable 
in  Napoleon's  day.  Caned  work  was  used  for 
seats  and  was  varied  by  coverings  of  needlework, 
morocco,  striped  and  variegated  horsehair,  dam- 
asks, and  fine  printed  silks.  The  curved  piece 
which  Sheraton  introduced  about  1800  remained 
the  favorite  chair  pattern  for  a  century,  although 
it  lost  the  brass  mounts  which  he  at  first  used. 
There  is  not  much  danger  of  confounding  the 
three  great  masters,  for  each  produced  an  entirely 
different  style  of  furniture. 

After  the  French  Revolution,  the  furniture 
became  markedly  different  in  style ;  Greek  models 
were  once  more  popular,  and  the  tripod  became 
a  favorite  support.  Coarse  woods  and  mahogany 
were  freely  used  and  were  carved  and  profusely 
gilded. 

The  Empire  furniture  which  is  so  popular  to- 
day was  heavy  and  stiff  in  its  early  period,  particu- 
larly so  when  of  English  make,  but  under  Ameri- 
can manipulation  the  beauty  of  the  wood  showed 
to  the  best  advantage.  Yet  there  is  a  certain 
appeal  in  its  solidity  and  massiveness.  When 
the  darkened  mahogany  came  into  fashion  an 
opportunity  arose  for  the  revival  of  brass  and 

[234.1 


HENRY  W.  WRIGHTS  HOUSE 

wood  that  lent  charm  to  the  court  of  the  Empress 
Josephine.  Few  good  examples  of  the  Empire 
style  are  found  in  remodeled  farmhouses. 

Old  furniture  is  most  interesting,  and  if  you 
intend  to  furnish  your  remodeled  farmhouse  with 
it,  do  not  fail  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the  sub- 
ject before  attempting  it.  It  covers  a  wide  field 
of  makers,  styles,  and  decorations,  but  the  modern 
home  affords  ample  scope  for  the  employment  of 
these  old  pieces,  many  of  which  have  been  brought 
down  from  the  attic. 

When  Salem  was  in  her  highest  and  proudest 
days  of  mercantile  prosperity,  when  her  wharves 
were  bustling  scenes  of  unlading  and  shipping, 
when  her  harbor  was  a  gathering  place  of  quaintly 
rigged  vessels,  and  great  East-Indiamen  labored 
under  clouds  of  canvas,  then  from  the  holds  of 
these  cumbersome  ships  were  discharged  cargoes 
of  rich  furniture,  teakwood,  and  sandalwood 
brought  from  every  land.  The  wealth  of  these 
incoming  treasures  has  made  the  quiet  city 
prominent  even  until  to-day.  Here  may  be  found 
many  old  heirlooms,  and  in  the  homes  of  the 
descendants  of  old  shipmasters  we  frequently 
find  rare  pieces.  These  show  to  advantage  in 
various  remodeled  farmhouses  that  have  been 

[235] 


adopted  as  all-the-year-round  homes  by  the  last 
generation. 

Many  fine  old  pieces  are  found  in  the  home  of 
Mr.  Henry  W.  Wright  at  Danvers,  Massachusetts. 
Some  of  them  are  of  exceptional  value  and  rare 
examples  such  as  are  seldom  seen  even  in  the 
homes  of  collectors.  The  farmhouse  itself  stands 
close  to  the  road,  a  simple,  plain,  unostentatious 
building,  yet  showing  good  lines  and  careful 
treatment.  The  soft  gray  of  the  exterior  and  the 
white  trim  blend  harmoniously  with  the  green  of 
the  grass  and  the  bright-colored  flowers  of  the 
little  garden.  At  the  front  of  the  house  at  each 
side  stand  tall  elms  that  cast  a  grateful  shade  over 
the  old  farmhouse. 

The  entrance  porch  has  been  made  square,  its 
lattice,  designed  for  the  support  of  vines,  taking 
away  the  plain  look  of  the  exterior.  The  win- 
dows are  well  spaced,  and  the  small  panes  have 
been  retained.  At  the  side  of  the  house  a  porch 
has  been  thrown  out  which  can  be  glassed  in  as  a 
living-room  or  sun-parlor  during  the  winter  and 
used  as  an  out-of-door  veranda  during  the  summer 
months.  It  is  so  situated  that  it  commands  a 
picturesque  view  of  the  rolling  country  which  is 
on  every  side. 

[236] 


The  Living  Room 


The  Dining  Room 
THE  HENRY  W.  WRIGHT  HOUSE 


HENRY  W.  WRIGHT'S  HOUSE 

The  big  chimney,  that  was  formerly  the  central 
feature  of  the  house,  has  given  way  to  two  smaller 
ones,  one  on  either  end.  The  sloping  roof  has 
been  treated  to  new  shingles,  while  the  exterior 
has  been  left  practically  as  it  was  when  built. 
The  addition  of  green  blinds  has  done  much  to 
soften  what  would  otherwise  be  a  rather  bare 
exterior.  The  house  is  of  the  type  that  shows 
four  rooms  in  each  story. 

The  hallway  has  a  castellated  paper  in  gray  and 
white  and  a  winding  staircase  with  box  stairs  and 
simple  balusters  and  posts  painted  white  and  a 
mahogany  rail.  It  is  a  simple  little  hall,  small, 
compact,  and  truly  Colonial  in  its  type,  with 
its  Dutch  armchair  showing  pierced  slats  of  Chip- 
pendale influence.  This  chair  was  probably  made 
about  the  time  the  house  was  built  which  was  in 
the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  date 
not  being  definitely  known. 

At  the  left  of  the  hallway  is  the  living-room, 
which  is  of  the  simple  farmhouse  type,  lacking  a 
wainscot  but  containing  a  simple  mopboard  and 
paneled  door.  The  wide  boards  in  the  flooring 
have  been  retained  here  as  well  as  in  the  dining- 
room,  —  plain-edged  boards  that,  while  laid  close 
together,  still  show  a  crack  between.  This  living- 

[237] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

room  was  in  the  early  days  used  as  living-room 
and  bedroom ;  the  space  at  the  farther  end,  which 
was  used  as  a  closet  into  which  the  bed  folded 
during  the  daytime,  is  now  utilized  as  a  bookcase 
and  makes  an  interesting  feature.  The  slat-back 
chair  beside  the  bookcase  is  the  most  valuable 
type  of  its  period,  being  made  about  1750.  It 
shows  a  turned  knob.  In  chairs  of  this  kind, 
which  were  more  commonly  used  during  the  first 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  the  number  of 
slats  varied,  the  most  common  having  three,  while 
the  rarest  have  five. 

The  gate-legged  table  is  a  good  example,  while 
the  Chippendale  chair  is  unusual,  showing  very 
graceful  effect,  with  wonderfully  delicate  carving, 
and  being  of  the  best  design.  ,  An  equally  rare 
example  of  a  Hepplewhite  chair,  which  is  beauti- 
fully carved,  is  contained  in  the  same  room.  In 
addition  to  these  are  banister  and  Sheraton  chairs, 
as  well  as  a  fine  example  of  girandole,  uncommon 
from  the  fact  that  there  is  a  pair  exactly  alike, 
and  they  are  seen  one  on  either  side  of  the  room. 

Opposite  the  living-room  is  the  dining-room, 
and  here  the  same  correct  furnishing  has  been 
used.  The  plain  wainscot  is  of  the  early  type, 
the  lighting  has  Colonial  fixtures,  while  the  chairs 

[238] 


HENRY  W.  WRIGHT'S  HOUSE 

are  painted  Sheraton,  being  most  unusual  in  that 
there  is  a  whole  set  of  the  same  pattern  which 
are  all  originals.  A  wonderfully  fine  example  of  a 
mahogany  dining-table  has  been  utilized  as  a 
serving-table,  and  the  silver  is  all  of  the  Colonial 
pattern.  Here  one  finds  the  low  stud,  but  none 
of  the  exposed  beams  often  found  in  old  houses. 

At  the  rear  of  the  dining-room  is  the  kitchen 
which  is  equipped  with  modern  appliances.  Lead- 
ing from  the  dining-room  at  the  left  is  a  small 
room  which  has  been  fitted  up  as  a  music-room 
and  den  combined.  It  is  a  most  livable  room, 
there  being  no  stiffness  or  formality  in  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  furniture,  and  each  piece  of  furniture 
proves  a  fitting  foil  for  its  mate.  The  wall  hang- 
ings are  not  of  the  Colonial  type ;  they  are  plain 
gray  and  bring  out  to  advantage  the  setting  of 
furniture,  pictures,  and  ornaments  in  the  room. 

In  the  upper  hall  is  found  a  fine  old  carved 
chest  of  the  Jacobean  period.  This  is  considered 
one  of  the  best  examples  of  chests  in  existence, 
being  wonderfully  carved,  of  solid  oak,  and  prob- 
ably used  originally  as  a  dower  chest.  Leading 
off  from  the  hallway  are  four  large,  square  cham- 
bers, each  one  correctly  furnished  with  Colonial 
pieces,  many  of  which  are  family  heirlooms. 

[239] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

Here,  where  modern  lighting  has  been  introduced, 
the  Colonial  type  of  fixtures  has  been  carefully 
maintained.  In  all  the  house  there  is  no  central 
light,  all  the  lights  being  at  the  side.  In  the 
upper  story  as  well  as  the  lower,  the  wide  flooring 
has  been  retained,  as  it  was  found  in  such  excellent 
condition  it  could  easily  be  used. 

The  steeple-topped  andirons  in  the  simple 
fireplace,  the  painted  mirror,  and  the  old  brass 
candlesticks  of  one  chamber  are  most  appropri- 
ately chosen.  The  Field  bed  has  a  canopy  of 
white  with  ball  fringe  which  is  an  exact  replica 
of  the  old-time  draping.  Rag  mats  have  been 
used  for  the  floor;  they  are  not  the  common 
braided  ones  but  woven  rugs  which  are  more 
suitable.  Alcoved  recesses  are  shown  on  either 
side  of  the  fireplace ;  in  one  of  them  a  six-legged, 
high  chest  of  drawers  with  china  steps,  designed 
about  1720,  shows  drop  handles,  and  is  ornamented 
with  rare  old  family  china.  On  the  opposite 
side  is  a  wing  or  Martha  Washington  chair  of 
the  Sheraton  type.  The  bureau,  1815,  is  a  fine 
example  of  the  period,  while  the  swell-front, 
Hepplewhite  bureau  with  the  oval,  pressed-brass 
handles  and  the  painted  mirror  above  are  in 
conformity  with  the  general  scheme.  A  banister- 

[240] 


HENRY  W.  WRIGHT'S  HOUSE 

backed  chair  with  a  rush  bottom  stands  at  one  side 
of  the  bed. 

Very  unusual  is  the  Colonial  wall-paper  which 
is  found  in  a  second  chamber,  while  eighteenth- 
century  andirons  are  used  in  the  fireplace  which 
is  still  of  the  original  size  and  which  shows  a 
plain  Colonial  mantel.  In  this  chamber,  as  in 
the  other,  there  is  a  very  plain  wainscot  of  boards 
placed  horizontally.  An  Empire  bed  which  has 
wonderfully  beautiful  carving  is  shown  in  this 
room,  and  also  a  very  unusual  chair  known 
as  a  comb-back  rocker  and  dating  about  1750. 
The  rugs  here  are  of  the  Arts  and  Crafts  style, 
while  the  bureau  and  writing-table  have  cabriole 
legs  and  secret  drawers,  the  central  one  with 
rising  sun  or  fan  carving. 

Every  piece  in  this  house  is  genuine,  for  they 
all  are  heirlooms  or  pieces  that  have  been  care- 
fully chosen,  since  the  owner  is  an  expert  in  deter- 
mining period  and  correct  types.  It  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  to-day  one  has  to  be  a  careful 
student  of  furniture  not  to  be  deceived.  The 
popularity  of  the  Colonial  period,  more  especially 
since  the  vogue  of  the  modified  Colonial  house, 
has  led  many  a  fakir  to  reproduce  the  lines  of 
the  genuine  antique.  Skilful  workmen  are  em- 

[241] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

ployed  to  manufacture  these  pieces,  and  they  are 
able,  by  imitating  worm-holes,  dentation,  and 
other  distinguishing  marks,  to  put  on  the  market 
pieces  whose  genuineness  even  the  antique  dealer 
is  puzzled  to  decide. 

All  through  the  country  the  value  of  antiques 
is  becoming  better  and  better  known,  so  that  it 
is  far  more  difficult  to  obtain  bargains  than  it 
was  even  five  years  ago.  To-day,  so  great  has 
grown  the  demand,  people  who  before  were  una- 
ware of  the  worth  of  their  heirlooms  have  been 
led  to  overestimate  their  value  and  they  now 
ask  fabulous  sums  for  pieces  hitherto  neglected 
and  ignored. 


[242! 


Two  Noteworthy  Chambers 
THE  HENRY  W.  WRIGHT  HOUSE 


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CHAPTER  XXII 

THE   HOWLAND    S.    CHANDLER   HOUSE 

WHEN  your  house  is  remodeled,  be  careful  what 
kind  of  paint  you  use  for  both  outside  and  inside 
finish.  A  variation  from  the  right  tone  will  mar 
the  whole  effect.  So  much  depends  on  this  that 
one  should  not  copy  from  houses  of  to-day  but 
turn  back  to  the  style  of  a  century  ago,  so  that 
in  this  particular,  at  least,  the  house  shall  corre- 
spond with  the  old  Colonial  idea. 

Few,  if  any,  care  to  use  a  weathered  exterior, 
that  is,  unless  the  scientifically  treated  shingles 
that  will  soon  turn  a  silver  gray  are  employed. 
There  are  two  reasons  why  your  house  should 
be  painted :  one  is  that  it  preserves  the  wood  and 
if  rightly  treated  is  fireproof;  the  second  is  that 
it  gives  the  finish  a  far  better  appearance  than 
it  would  have  without  paint.  Every  house  needs 
paint  of  some  kind  to  improve  its  appearance, 
whether  it  be  oil  paint  or  stain. 

There  are  many  different  brands  found  to-day, 
and  they  are  of  every  conceivable  color,  so  that 

[243] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

you  have  a  wide  range  of  choice.  It  is  always  safe 
to  use  one  made  by  a  reliable  concern  or  one  hand- 
mixed,  if  both  white  lead  and  linseed  oil  are 
absolutely  pure.  There  is  nothing  more  variable 
in  quality  than  paint,  and  even  experts  are  puzzled 
at  times  and  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  chemical 
analysis  in  order  to  determine  between  good  and 
bad. 

For  exterior  use  the  proper  kind  should  be  a 
mixture  of  pure  white  lead  and  linseed  oil  or  pure 
zinc  white  and  linseed  oil.  Manufacturers,  more 
especially  those  of  white  lead  paints,  will  insist 
that  theirs  is  the  only  kind  to  use,  and  the  zinc 
paint  producers  will  do  likewise,  but  a  reliable 
dealer  or  architect  will  inform  you  correctly.  One 
of  the  first  colors  to  be  used  on  any  house  is 
white,  —  in  all  probability  there  is  nothing  as 
durable  as  this.  The  reason  for  it  is  that  the 
ingredients  used  have  greater  wearing  qualities 
than  any  of  the  other  pigments.  There  is  a 
complaint  that  it  is  apt  to  yellow  with  age  and 
become  discolored,  but  in  reality  it  remains 
unchanged  longer  than  almost  any  other  color. 
Green  blinds  secure  the  best  effect,  or  trellises  that 
relieve  the  monotony  of  the  white.  This  the  old 
farmers  realized,  and  it  is  one  of  the  reasons  why 

[244] 


THE  ROWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 

it  was  so  much  used.  If  your  house  is  shingled, 
there  are  a  great  many  shades  of  gray  that  need 
a  white  trim,  and  there  is  no  color  that  harmonizes 
with  every  other  as  well  as  this. 

There  are  a  great  many  reliable  stains  for 
shingles ;  do  not  let  the  painter  mix  the  stain 
himself,  because  that  carefully  prepared  by  a 
manufacturer  is  generally  superior  both  in  color 
and  durability.  In  mixing  these  stains,  both 
creosote  and  oil  are  used,  there  being  on  the  market 
to-day  excellent  brands  of  both  kinds. 

The  repainting  of  the  country  house  is  a  neces- 
sary evil  that  recurs  periodically.  We  tire  of 
one  color  as  we  weary  of  an  old  dress,  and  this 
leads  to  a  different  tone  of  coloring  each  time. 
For  instance,  the  white  house  is  changed  possibly 
to  a  Colonial  yellow  or  a  gray,  and  with  its  new 
coat  it  seems  to  take  on  a  new  lease  of  life.  The 
fall  of  the  year  is  the  best  time  for  the  painting, 
as  the  dry  October  weather  is  especially  suited 
for  good  results.  During  the  summer  months 
there  are  insects  flying  about  and  too  much  dust. 
By  October  the  outside  has  had  time  to  cool  after 
the  heat  and  is  in  good  condition  for  treatment. 

The  time  to  paint  is  before  the  house  gets  shabby, 
when  the  paint  is  powdery  or  porous.  It  can  be 

[245] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

tested  with  either  a  knife  or  the  finger,  and  if 
the  old  paint  chips  off,  soaks  up  water,  or  can  be 
rubbed  off  like  a  powder  with  the  finger,  it  no 
longer  protects  the  wood  and  needs  another  coat. 
With  this  covering  of  paint,  wood  will  last  prac- 
tically forever,  and  as  lumber  is  expensive,  it  is 
greater  economy  to  keep  your  house  properly 
painted. 

The  cost  of  painting  is  a  serious  problem  to 
many  house  owners  and  is  never  alluded  to  by 
an  agent  when  selling  a  house ;  to  the  novice  it  does 
not  occur,  so  eager  is  he  to  secure  for  himself  a 
new  home.  At  the  end  of  the  second  year,  its 
freshness  is  dimmed  through  exposure  to  wind 
and  storm,  and  at  the  end  of  the  third  season,  it 
is  shabby  and  needs  a  new  covering.  In  attempt- 
ing to  figure  the  cost,  it  is  necessary  to  ascertain 
the  square  feet  on  the  outside.  Any  painter  has 
a  rule  for  this,  making  allowances  for  errors. 
Windows  and  doors  are  considered  as  plain  sur- 
faces that  are  to  be  treated  to  paint  even  though 
only  the  sills  and  sides  are  in  need  of  it. 

Good  exterior  paint  costs  from  three  to  five 
dollars  a  gallon,  and  a  painter  can  put  on  one 
hundred  square  yards  in  a  day  for  the  first  coat 
and  seventy-five  for  the  second.  This  gives  the 

[246] 


THE  ROWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 

house  owner  a  little  idea  of  what  it  will  cost, 
although  it  is  best  to  make  a  regular  bargain  with 
the  architect  to  cover  this  expense. 

For  interior  finish,  white  is  always  preferable. 
It  seems  to  be  the  proper  treatment  for  any 
Colonial  home.  To  be  sure,  if  you  are  planning 
for  a  den,  a  dark  color  can  be  used  and  also  a  stain 
for  the  kitchen  part  of  the  house. 

In  searching  for  a  farmhouse  to  be  converted 
into  a  country  home,  Mr.  Rowland  S.  Chandler 
of  Boston  chanced  upon  an  old  house  at  Need- 
ham,  Massachusetts,  that  seemed  to  meet  his  re- 
quirements. It  was  a  square-framed  house,  two 
stories  and  a  half  in  height,  with  a  kitchen  ell  at 
the  rear.  It  was  not  handsome  but  quite  ordi- 
nary in  appearance  and  without  any  unusual 
exterior  features.  It  was  not  even  a  seventeenth- 
century  house  but  was  built  in  1801,  and  it  was 
in  such  good  condition  and  the  frame  was  so  sound 
that  it  hardly  deserved  the  term  "old." 

The  farmhouse  fronted  the  southwest,  so  that 
its  main  rooms  were  dark,  with  little  sunlight, 
while  the  rear  was  flooded  with  light  and  very 
cheerful.  There  were  delightful  views  from  this 
part  of  the  house  which  overlooked  a  merry, 
gurgling  brook,  the  mill-pond,  and  the  distant 

[247] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

hills.  But  this  idea  had  not  entered  the  minds 
of  the  former  owners,  who  had  given  little  con- 
sideration to  the  subject  and  with  no  forethought 
had  inserted  only  two  small  windows,  one  in  the 
kitchen  and  the  other  in  a  bedroom.  Evidently 
their  idea  was  to  sacrifice  view  to  arrangement,  for 
to  their  minds,  houses  should  be  built  parallel 
to  the  street  and  with  the  "best  room"  at  the 
front. 

The  grounds  showed  little  care,  but  in  remodeling 
a  brick-paved  terrace  was  arranged  at  the  left 
just  outside  the  original  parlor.  An  old-fashioned 
garden  was  planted  near  the  kitchen  end,  and  a 
trellis  enclosed  the  clothes-yard.  The  grounds 
in  front  of  the  house  have  been  laid  out  in  well- 
trimmed  lawns,  while  a  brick  walk  now  leads  from 
the  sidewalk  to  the  house.  A  feature  of  the  house 
is  a  large,  overhanging  elm  which  affords  shade 
and  picturesqueness ;  fresh  shrubbery  has  been 
attractively  planted,  and  vines  trained  to  clamber 
over  latticed  work  and  the  trellised  porch  which 
is  at  the  front  of  the  house.  Dormer  windows 
have  been  added  to  the  roof,  and  the  simple  little 
farmhouse  has  been  converted  into  a  most  attrac- 
tive all-the-year-round  home. 

In  the  process  of  remodeling,  the  original  house 

[248] 


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The  Hall 
THE  HOWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 


THE  ROWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 

was  left  unchanged,  and  additions  were  depended 
upon  for  development.  A  good-sized  porch  with 
brick  floor  and  high-backed  settles  at  the  side 
replaced  the  unattractive,  old-time  entrance,  while 
the  dormers  relieved  the  long,  monotonous  roof- 
line  and  afforded  light  to  the  apartment  constructed 
from  the  formerly  unfinished  attic  space.  Just 
outside  the  original  parlor,  beside  the  shed  space, 
an  addition  has  been  built  that  runs  midway 
of  the  shed  to  the  line  of  the  chimney  in  the  parlor, 
and  without  a  large  covered  veranda  is  added. 
To  the  kitchen  ell  an  addition  of  about  four  feet 
was  made  to  provide  space  for  a  vestibule  within 
the  new  back  door  and  also  to  secure  extra  space 
at  one  side  of  the  room  so  that  a  window  might 
be  inserted. 

Due  attention  was  paid  to  the  rear,  in  the  matter 
of  windows,  and  here  were  laid  out  the  rooms 
.which  would  be  most  frequently  used.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  rearrangement,  the  interior  is  prac- 
tically wholly  changed.  The  shed  was  remodeled 
into  a  charming  sewing-room  that  opens  at  one 
side  on  to  a  veranda,  and  the  new  addition  was 
combined  with  the  little  bedroom  and  a  small 
portion  from  the  parlor  to  secure  space  for  a 
library.  This  made  possible  a  doorway  to  the 

[2491 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

dining-room  and  sewing-room,  and  a  broad  open 
space  to  the  living-room. 

The  old-time  parlor  showed  two  deep  closets 
beside  the  fireplace.  One  of  these  was  torn  out, 
a  window  was  inserted  in  the  outer  wall,  and  a 
seat  was  built  beneath  it.  The  other  was  made 
into  an  opening  into  the  library.  This  arrange- 
ment secured  additional  light  and  at  the  same 
time  permitted  a  glimpse  of  the  picturesque  rear 
view. 

In  the  dining-room  several  alterations  were 
made,  resulting  in  a  complete  change  in  shape 
and  size.  Oblique  walls  replace  the  two  rear 
corners,  one  containing  the  doorway  leading  to 
the  library,  and  the  other  affording  entrance  and 
furnishing  some  space  for  the  china  closet  which 
was  inserted  between  the  dining-room  and  the 
kitchen.  The  single  window  on  the  southeast 
was  replaced  by  a  semi-octagonal  bow  recess. 
This  was  fitted  with  small  lights  of  glass  and  affords 
space  for  the  grouping  of  many  plants  and  inci- 
dentally adds  a  touch  of  distinct  picturesqueness. 

The  kitchen  received  its  share  of  consideration 
during  the  process  of  remodeling,  resulting  in 
the  substitution  of  a  pleasant,  convenient  apart- 
ment in  place  of  the  conspicuous,  ill-lighted, 

[250] 


THE  ROWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 

original  one.  There  was  added  at  the  right  of 
the  vestibule  a  built-in  refrigerator,  and  about 
the  side  walls  of  the  room  newly  built-in  cupboards 
were  grouped. 

Two  important  changes  in  the  body  of  the 
house  consisted  in  the  enlargement  of  the  cellar, 
made  necessary  by  the  greater  space  required 
for  the  modern  heating  apparatus,  and  in  the 
substitution  of  the  original,  small-paned  type  of 
window  for  the  two  panes  which  had  been  in- 
serted to  take  the  place  of  the  old  ones. 

The  entrance  hall  at  the  front  of  the  house  is  a 
small  apartment  hung  with  landscape  paper  of  the 
Colonial  period ;  a  staircase  with  one  landing  and  a 
half  turn  in  its  flight,  showing  white  balusters  and 
mahogany  top,  leads  to  the  second  story.  In 
the  lighting,  the  Colonial  idea  is  attained  by 
the  use  of  a  lantern,  while  under  the  stairs  is  a 
closet  opened  by  a  brass  door-pull. 

At  the  left  is  the  living-room,  with  dull  red 
hangings  and  a  white  wainscot  that  provides  a 
fitting  background  for  the  wonderful  old  mahog- 
any found  in  this  room.  There  are  some  rare 
Dutch  chairs  sometimes  known  as  Queen  Anne 
from  the  opening  that  is  found  on  either  side  of 
the  central  slat,  designed  about  1710,  and  the 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

earliest  of  that  design.  There  is  a  refreshing 
simplicity  and  a  dignified  air  to  this  room,  brought 
about  in  part  by  the  simple  Colonial  fireplace 
with  its  steeple-topped  andirons,  and  the  well- 
spaced  windows  that  let  plenty  of  sunlight  into 
the  apartment. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  room  is  the  dining- 
room  which  is  finished  with  tapestry  hanging  in 
dark  green,  brown,  and  yellow,  with  a  design  of 
pine  cones  and  needles  that  contrasts  prettily 
with  the  white  wainscot.  A  slight  reduction  in 
the  height  of  the  window  casing  affords  an  oppor- 
tunity to  carry  the  wall-paper  and  moldings 
across  the  windows  and  doors,  thus  avoiding  the 
cramped  effect  of  too  high  window  arrangement. 
The  original  floor  has  been  replaced  by  a  new 
one,  and  a  cheerful  atmosphere  has  been  given 
to  the  room  by  opening  a  semicircular  bay  up  for 
a  small  conservatory  which  can  be  closed  or  opened 
at  pleasure  by  the  use  of  glass  doors. 

The  library  has  been  finished  in  dark  brown 
with  low  bookcases  extending  around  part  of  the 
room,  corresponding  in  color  with  the  woodwork. 
The  hangings  are  tan  color,  and  the  furniture  is 
partly  Colonial  and  partly  modern,  to  meet  the 
demands  of  a  den.  This  is  one  of  the  pleasantest 

[252] 


The  Sun-Parlor 


The  Living  Room 
THE  ROWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 


The  Den 


The  Kitchen 
THE  HOWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 


THE  ROWLAND  S.  CHANDLER  HOUSE 

rooms  in  the  house,  having  a  delightful  outlook ; 
combined  with  the  sewing-room  and  living-room 
opening  from  it,  it  makes  a  charming  and  con- 
veniently arranged  interior. 

The  kitchen  at  the  rear  of  the  house  has  been 
altered  with  the  idea  of  saving  steps.  This 
is  shown  in  the  numberless  closets  at  the  right, 
for  flour  barrel  and  other  supplies.  At  the  left 
is  the  kitchen  cupboard,  while  the  china  is  in 
the  built-in  closet  above  and  the  groceries  in  the 
drawers  below.  The  sink  has  a  shelf  underneath 
to  hold  the  dishpan  and  drainer.  The  whole 
color  tone,  including  the  beamed  ceiling,  is  a  dark 
stain  with  lighter  wall  finish. 

This  house  is  an  interesting  example  of  success- 
ful and  artistic  remodeling,  the  interior  and  exterior 
being  In  harmony  and  giving  the  result  of  a  com- 
fortable and  attractive  home  which  was  secured 
at  much  less  cost  than  if  an  entirely  new  house 
had  been  built. 

The  houses  described  in  this  book  cover  but 
the  merest  fraction  of  the  homes  and  summer 
places  evolved  from  old-fashioned  farmhouses. 
They  are  scattered  broadcast  through  New  Eng- 
land, sometimes  isolated  on  roads  which  still 

[253] 


REMODELED  FARMHOUSES 

retain  their  country  atmosphere,  sometimes  sur- 
rounded by  the  town  which  has  outgrown  its 
early  limits,  and  sometimes  the  center  of  a  large 
estate.  Each  has  its  individual  charm,  its  special 
beauties,  but  wherever  found  these  remodeled 
farmhouses  testify  to  the  stanchness  of  early 
American  workmanship  and  to  the  appreciation 
of  modern  Americans  for  their  forefathers'  handi- 
work. Certainly  many  a  one  of  the  latter  "  builded 
better  than  he  knew." 


[254] 


INDEX 


Adams  family,  128. 

Hannah,  122. 
Adden,  W.  P.,  180. 
Adden  house,  W.  P.,  180-186. 

age,  181. 

chimney,  182-183. 

hardware,  184,  185. 

location,  180. 

porches,  183-184. 

remodeling,  182-186. 

type,  181. 

Andirons,  11,  12,  68,  125,  194, 
208-210,  216,  217,  219, 
227,  240,  241,  252. 

Hessian,  210. 
Arches,  81,  119. 

Attics,  6,  164,  1 86,  224,  225, 
230. 

Balusters,  114-115. 

Barns,  2,  25,  65-70,  137,  191, 

.196-197. 
Barnard  house,  George  E.,  169- 

176. 

breakfast-room,  173. 
color  scheme,  175. 
den,  172. 
dining-room,  174. 
location,  169. 
picture  effect,  170,  174. 
remodeling,  170-174. 
Bathrooms,  14,  25,  35,  47,  97, 
202,  204,  218. 


Beams,  7,  20,  29,  34,  36,  46, 
47.  55.  58,  66,  75,  94,  102, 
122,  130,  131,  151,  185, 
197,  203,  215. 

Bedrooms,  13,  24,  25,  26,  36, 
47»  59»  83,  108,  121,  122, 
133,    148,    164,    175,    195, 
206,  218,  230,  239. 
Billiard-room,  68. 
Blinds,  79,  237. 
inside,  80. 
paneled,  75. 
slat,  45,  75. 
solid,  45,  75. 
Venetian,  56. 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  18,  42, 

77,  122,  151. 
Boulder  Farm,  76-83. 
arch,  81. 
history,  76-77. 
improvements,  78-79. 
location,  76,  78. 
parlor,  80. 

Bradford,  Governor,  206. 
Breakfast-rooms,   44,   47,    133, 

173-174. 

Brett  house,  Franklin,  201-207. 
age,  201. 

dining-room,  206. 
floors,  202. 
heating,  204. 
living-room,  205. 
location,  201. 


[255] 


INDEX 


Brett  house,  paneling,  207. 

repairs,  203. 

type,  202. 
Bricks,  126,  132. 
Brown,  Doctor,  7. 
Brown,  Davenport,  116. 
Brown  house,  Davenport,  116- 
123. 

age,  116. 

bedroom,  122. 

dining-room,  120. 

furnishings,    119,    1 20,    121, 

122. 

grounds,  122-123. 

living-room,  119. 

location,  116. 

nursery,  121. 

porches,  116,  117,  118. 

remodeling,  116-122. 

type,  1 1 6. 

Brown,  Deacon  Philip,  76,  77. 
Burroughs,  George,  53. 

Cape  Cod,  33 ,  105. 

Cataumet,  Massachusetts,  158. 

Ceilings,   beamed,    12,   21,   25, 

4S>  S5>  96,  152*  IS3»  162, 
205-206,  225,  253. 
vaulted,  144. 
Cellars,  7,  30,  98,  251. 
Chambers,  see  BEDROOMS. 
Chandler    house,    Howard    S., 

247-253. 
age,  247. 

dining-room,  250,  252. 
grounds,  248. 
kitchen,  253.     • 
library,  252. 
living-room,  251. 


Chandler  house,  location,  247. 
remodeling,  247-253. 
type,  247. 

views,  247,  249,  250. 
Charles   River,   Massachusetts, 

41. 

Chimneys,  7,  9,  18,  19,  31,  43, 
50»  S3.  69-70,  105,  116, 
125,  144,  182-183,  203, 

217,  237,  249. 
Clapboards,  7,  40-41,  106. 
Closets,  10,  23,  52,  55,  95,  96, 

109,    132,    142,    148,    205, 

218,  220-222,    226,    229, 
250,  251,  253. 

chimney,  57,  218,  222,  226. 
china,   35,   46,   57,   68,    120, 
153,    172,    185,    197,    220, 

221,  25O. 

corner,    23,    46,    163,    206, 
220-22 i. 

linen,  222. 

nightcap,  23,  107. 

secret,  23,  207,  221. 

wainscot,  221,  222. 
Concord,  New  Hampshire,  77. 
Cottages,  fishermen's,  28. 

"  flecked,"  33,  105. 
Cupboards,  see  CLOSETS. 
Curtis,  Frederick  H.,  42. 
Curtis    house,     Frederick    H., 
42-48. 

age,  42. 

furnishings,  48. 

hardware,  48. 

heating,  48. 

lighting,  48. 

lines  of,  43-44. 

location,  41-42. 


INDEX 


Curtis  house,  new  wing,  44. 
remodeling,  43-48. 
stairway,  45. 
veranda,  47. 

Danvers,  Massachusetts,  236. 
Dens,  12,  46,  58,  83,  104,  121, 

131,  173,  193,  216. 
Dining-rooms,  10,  n,  23,  34, 
46,  56-57>  68,  81-82,  95, 
96,  103,  107,  120,  133, 
142,  152,  162,  174,  185, 
206,  217,  227,  238,  250, 
252. 

Doors,  6,  10,  32,  45,  71-73,  180. 
batten,  72,  122. 
French,  98,  107,  133. 
front,    18,    54,   71,   92,    106, 

150,  161,  178,  192,  202. 
glass,  12,  34,  47,  58,  68,  225, 

252. 

panel,  72. 
secret,  45. 

Door-frames,  54,  73,  117,  157. 
Door  lights,  bull's-eye,  72,  92. 
fanlight,  117,  192,  225. 
side,  73,  117. 
top,  73- 
transom,  72. 
Dover,  Massachusetts,  42,  65, 

211. 

Drainage,  17. 
Drawing-room,  104. 
Dudley,  Harry,  77. 
Duxbury,    Massachusetts,    88, 
89. 


Ells,  8,  9,  43,  44,  51,  53,  66, 
78,  83,  91,  98,   116,   134, 


139,    145,    148,    150,    161, 
181,  212,  217,  249. 
brick,  58. 
Everett,  Edward,  151. 

Farmhouses,  architectural  treat- 
ment, 71,  loo,  138, 146. 

axis,  50-51,  116. 

Colonial,  49,  223. 

construction,  49-51,  116,  147, 
148. 

cottages,  28,  29. 

examination,  29-33. 

frame,  7,  106. 

Georgian,  51,  75,  76,  83,  116. 

heating,  48,  59,  62-65,  102, 
204. 

individuality,  84-88,  146, 
187. 

lighting,  48,  102,  103,  109, 
192,  196,  251. 

lines,  2,  3,  8,  15,  28,  29,  38, 
147. 

location,  8,  1 6,  17,  18,  33, 
41-42,  53,  62,  65,  66,  76, 
78,  88-89,  I05>  n6,  127, 
136,  138,  143,  149,  158, 

169,     ISO,     190,     2OI,     212, 
223,  236,  247. 

painting,  242-247. 

remodeling,  8,  9-14,  19-26, 
34-36,  43-48,  52,  54-6o, 
66-70,  78-83,  90-99,  101- 
104, 105-108, 111-123, 130- 

134,  I39-I45.  147,  ISO-I54* 
159-164,  170-174,  182-186, 
201-207,  214-219,  223-230, 
236-240,  247-253. 
Fireback,  126. 


[2571 


INDEX 


Fireplace  fittings,  68,  82,   125, 

126,  131,    208,    209,    210- 
211,  216,  217. 

Fireplaces,  3,  n,  13,  22,  24, 
31,  35,  46,  50,  55,  56,  58, 
62,  67,  68,  80,  82,  95, 
107,  120,  121,  122,  124- 

127,  130,    142,    143,    144, 
153,    157,    162,    175,    185, 
188,    193,    205,    218,    227, 
230,  240,  250,  252. 

Fences,  106,  123,  137,  140,  144, 

159,  1 60. 

Flagstones,  75,  167,  224. 
Fletcher,  Grace,  77. 
Floors,  21,  30,  32,  35,  46,  55, 

82,  114,  132,  134,  142,  144, 
198-200,    228,    237,    240, 
252. 

brick,  44,  118. 

tiled,  117,  212,  216. 
Flower-boxes,  118,  134,  191. 
French  and  Indian  War,  23. 
Frieze,  22,  24,  25,  216. 
Fuller,  Mrs.  Genevieve,  65. 
Furnaces,  65. 
Furniture,  22,  56,  59,  80,  81, 

83,  108,    118,    119,    120, 
121,    132,    133,    139,    152, 
163,    184,    194,    196,    205, 
206,     215,     219,    231-235, 
237,    238,    239,    240,    241, 
25i>  252. 

Adams,  56. 

Chippendale,    13,    134,    232, 

238. 
Empire,   80,    120,    164,    175, 

234,  235,  241. 
Field,  121,  196,  240. 


Furniture,  Hepplewhite,  57, 134, 

206,  232,  238,  240. 
home-made,  26. 
Jacobean,  239. 
Mission,  227,  228. 
old-fashioned,  26,  37,  46,  59, 

68,  96,  108,  121,  131,  143, 

153,    172,    173,    193.    I9S» 

230,  235,  239. 
Queen  Anne,  120,  251. 
Sheraton,    n,    47,    48,    119, 

122,  134,  153,  233,  238,  239, 

240. 

white  enamel,  48. 
willow,  9,  46,  163,  171,  176. 

Gables,  38,  40,  41,  66. 
Gage,  Doctor  Homer,  5. 
Gardens,    106,    123,    129,    166- 
168,  170. 

old-fashioned,  6,  19,  98,  140, 
143,  160,  184,  195,  213, 
248. 

water,  9,  19,  213. 
Georgetown,  Massachusetts,  18. 
Girandoles,  120,  238. 
Gloucester,  Massachusetts,  149. 
Green  Meadows,  53-60. 

age,  53; 

alterations,  54-60. 

dining-room,  57. 

door,  54. 

heating,  59. 

living-room,  55. 

location,  53. 

reception-room,  56. 

type,  53. 

wing,  58. 
Grills,  60,  64. 


[258] 


INDEX 


Grounds,  9,   18,  89,   118,  122, 

123,    129,    134,    135,  137, 

138,    140,    141,    150,  159, 

167-168,     182,    206,  213, 
214,  224,  248. 

Hall,  George  D.,  211. 

house,  see  LONE  TREE  FARM. 
Hallways,  10,  23,  45,  50,  51, 
54,  92,  96,  97,  118,  151, 
163,  171,  184,  192,  204, 
205,  215,  237,  251. 
Hangings,  13,  22,  55,  56,  96, 
97,  1 08,  109,  119,  1 20, 
134,  163,  172,  173,  189, 
190,  192,  193,  194,  205, 
207,  218,  227,  239,  251, 
252. 

Hardware,  12,  48,  55,  177-180. 
Harvey,  Governor  Matthew,  77. 
Heating,  by  fireplaces,  62. 
hot-air,  48,  59,  64. 
hot-water,  63,  64,  204. 
steam,  63,  64. 
stoves,  63. 

Hinges,  H,  180,  184,  227. 
H  and  L,  55,  177,  179,  180, 

184,  185. 
strap,  12. 

Hollis,  Maine,  190. 
Hopkins   house,   Walter   Scott, 

223-230. 
age,  223. 
attic,  230. 

closets,  226,  227,  229. 
dining-room,  227,  228. 
grounds,  224,  225. 
hardware,  227,  229. 
lighting,  227. 


Hopkins     house,    living-rooms, 
224,  226,  227. 

location,  223 

parlor,  229. 

remodeling,  223-230. 

type,  223. 

Hopkinton,  New  Hampshire,  76. 
Howard,  Philip  B.,  42. 
Hunt,  William  H.,  153. 

Ingraham,  George  Hunt,  8. 
Inches,  Doctor  Charles  E.,  127. 
Inches  house,  Charles  E.,  127- 

I3S- 

age,  127. 
den,  131. 
dining-room,  133. 
furnishings,    131,    132,    133, 

I34>  135- 

gardens,  129. 

grounds,  129,  134,  135. 

living-room,  132. 

location,  127. 

remodeling,  130-134. 

swimming-pool,  129. 

value,  128. 

whipping-tree,  128. 
Ipswich,  Massachusetts,  169. 
Iristhorpe,  6-14. 

age,  6. 

architectural  treatment,  13. 

guest  house,  14. 

iris  motive,  9. 

lines,  8,  14. 

location,  6. 

remodeling,  8-13. 


Jewett  house,  see  LIMAVODY. 
Josephine,  Empress,  235. 


[259] 


INDEX 


Kelly,  William,  77. 
Killam    and    Hopkins    (Archi- 
tects), 64. 

Kimball,  Mrs.  William  Otis,  20. 
Kitchens,    10,   36,   44,   50,   95, 
98,    108,    130,    148,    204, 
239,  250,  253. 
Kittredge,  Mabel  L.,  33. 
Kittredge  house,  33-37. 

chimney,  36,  37. 

furnishings,  37. 

lines,  34. 

location,  33. 

remodeling,  34-36. 

size,  33. 
Knockers,  178. 

Lafayette,  General,  153. 
Latches,  12,  48,  55,  177,  179, 

184,  185. 

Lavatories,  10,  185. 
Lean-to,  Dutch,  18. 
Libraries,  10,  12,  22,  46,  104, 

252. 
Lighting,  103. 

candles,  48,  109. 

electric,  48. 

lamps,  48,  109. 

lanterns,  192,  196,  251. 
Limovady,  18-27. 

age,  1 8. 

bedrooms,  25,  26. 

lines,  20. 

location,  18. 

lounge  room,  25. 

Missionary  room,  24. 

"priest  hole,"  23. 

remodeling,  19-26. 

studio,  24. 


Lincoln,  Roland  C.,  149. 
Mrs.  Roland  C.,  152. 
Little  Orchard,  149-154. 
age,  150. 
china,  152. 
fireplace,  153. 
furnishings,  152,  153. 
location,  149. 
name,  152. 
remodeling,  150-154. 
staircase,  151. 

Living-rooms,    10,    n,    21,   22,. 
34>  45.  55.  58,  67,  81,  94, 
95,  103,  107,  119,  132,  153, 
184,   194,    203,    204,    205, 
214,  215,  226,  237,  251. 
outdoor,  8,  9,  12,  21,  44,  68, 
79,    118,    139,    142,    144, 
151,  171,  224. 
Loeffler,   Charles   Martin,   137,. 

138,  142,  144. 
Loeffler  house,  136-146. 
atmosphere,  141,  145. 
grounds,  140,  141. 
location,  136,  138,  143. 
music  room,  144. 
remodeling,  139-144. 
Loggia,  213. 
Londonderry,  New  Hampshire, 

76,  77- 

Lone  Tree  Farm,  211-219. 
age,  211. 
dining-room,  217. 
furnishings,  215-219. 
grounds,  214. 
living-room,  215. 
location,  212. 
sitting-room,  218. 
smoke-house,  214,  215. 


[260 


INDEX 


Lone  Tree   Farm,  remodeling, 

214-219. 
vistas,  216,  217. 
wing,  212. 

Magnolia,  Massachusetts,   149. 

Manchester-by-the-Sea,  Massa- 
chusetts, 149. 

Mantels,  157,  216,  217,  241. 

Medfield,  Massachusetts,  116, 
127. 

Morning-rooms,  10,  12,  44,  175, 
204,  205. 

Music-rooms,  144,  196,  239. 

Nawn  Farm,  65-70. 

alterations,  66-70. 

chimney,  70. 

dining-room,  68. 

living-room,  67. 

location,  65,  66. 

windows,  66,  70. 
Needham,  Massachusetts,  247. 
Newburyport,      Massachusetts, 

21. 

New  York  City,  105. 
North  Duxbury,  Massachusetts, 

201. 
Nurseries,  121,  186. 

Office,  230. 

Outbuildings,  7,  91,  99,  138. 

Ovens,  brick,   n,   12,  82,   127, 

131,  181,  217,  229. 
Dutch,  24. 
Overmantel,  22. 

Paint,  9,  21,  42,  45,  134,  140, 
161,  191,  202,  203,  214, 
224,  243-247. 


Paneling,    12,   23,   55,   58,   94, 
95,    120,    130,    154,    162, 

207,     217,     219,     221,     222, 
226.      . 

Japanese,  13. 
Parlors,  50, 80, 105, 163, 229, 250. 

sun,  216,  236. 
Partitions,  148. 

removal   of,   20,   34,  46,   52, 
54,  82,  102,  103,  203,  204. 
Pergolas,  123,  140,  203,  207. 
Pewter,  46,  57,  131. 
Piazza,  see  PORCHES. 
Plate-rail,  107. 
Porch  columns,  44,  73,  78,  79, 

92,  in,  112,  114,  117,  224. 
Porches,  3,  34,  40,  42,  47,  79, 

93,  103,  106,  111-116,  117, 
138,    I39»    150,    161,    170, 

183,     184,     192,     202,     212, 

213,  224,  236,  249. 
Colonial,  8,  44,  92,  204,  214. 
Georgian,  73,  78,  I II,  112. 
sleeping,  40,  44,  47,  59,  67, 
79,    1 10,     115,     117,     140, 
213,  214. 
types  of,  112. 
Porch  railings,  114. 
Portico,  117. 
Putnam,  John  Pickering,  122. 

Quillcote,  190-197. 

barn,  196,  197. 

china,  195,  196. 

furnishings,  193,  194,  196, 

location,  190. 

type,  190. 

wall-papers,  193,  194. 
Quincy,  Massachusetts,  128. 


[26l 


INDEX 


Radiators,  64.  Shrewsbury,  Massachusetts,  6, 

Reading,    Massachusetts,    180,  134,  149. 

223.  Shrubbery,  167,  168,  213,  224, 

Reception-rooms,  56,  104,  153,  248. 

173,  174.  Shutters,  see  BLINDS. 

Registers,  59.  Sill,  30. 

Revolution,    American,    6,    29,      Sitting-room,  218. 

50,  156.  Sleeping-porches,  see  PORCHES. 

French,  234.  Smith,  Nora,  195. 

Roofs,    19,   29,   31,  34,   38-40,      South    Dennis,    Massachusetts, 
43,   44,   66,   91,    113,    148,  105. 

190,  224,  226.  South     Yarmouth,     Massachu- 

setts, 33,  105. 
Spencer,  Robert,  105. 
Spencer  house,  105-109. 
fence,  106. 
furniture,  108,  109. 
lighting,  109. 
location,  105. 


flat,  44. 

gambrel,  38,  149,  181. 

hipped,  39. 

overhang,  41,  75. 

pitched    (gable),    6,    38,    44, 

91,  105,  139,  202,  237. 
Rugs,  Arts  and  Crafts,  24. 
fur,  194. 
modern,  217. 


new  wing,  105,  106. 

windows,  106. 

Oriental,   55,   200,   201,   205,      Staircases,  4,  10,  23,  45,  50,  51, 
227.  68,  80,  93,   107,  118,  132, 

rag,  46,  48,  59,  108,  134,  162,  136,    142,    151,    153,    184, 

192,  2OO,  2OI,  2O5,  240.  192,  214,  251. 

Stoves,  63. 
Salem,  Massachusetts,  150,  235.      Stud,  30,  66,  106,  117. 


Saugus,  Massachusetts,  126. 
Screen,  Japanese,  13. 
Servants'    rooms,    n,    43,    47, 

83,  108,  134,  225. 
Service  departments,  10,  n,  43, 

59,  69,  78,  103,   116,  121, 

171,  175,  191,  206. 
Serving-room,  249. 
Shaw,  Mrs.  Josephine  Hartwell, 


Shingles,  41,  91,  106,  149,  243, 


245- 


low,  13,  44,  52,  56,  102,  152, 
154,  205,  239. 

Three  Acres,  88-99. 

living-room,  95. 

location,  88,  89. 

restoration,  90-99. 

studio,  98. 

type,  91. 

vistas,  96. 

windows,  92,  97. 
Tiles,  125. 


[  262 


INDEX 


"Tired  of  Work"  (picture),  153. 

Trees,  4,  15,  18,  19,  42,  78,  88, 
91,  105,  123,  127,  128,  129, 
134,  140,  141,  144,  150, 

167,  212,  213,  236,  248. 

Verandas,  see  PORCHES. 

Wainscot,   22,   35,  46,   55,   57, 
80,  81,  118,  120,  130,  143, 
iSS-i57>  163,  i73>  192,221, 
226,  238,  241,  251,  252. 
Wakefield,  F.  M.,  42. 
Walls,  29,  41,  46,  47,  67,  69, 
83,  96,  130,  133,  148,  155- 
157,  173,  215. 
burlap,  23,  45. 
exterior,  40,  41. 
grass-cloth,  47,  67,  143. 
painted,  21,  24,  25,  35,  68. 
papered,  23,  45,  48,   55,  56, 
57,    59,    69,    81,    83,    119, 

122,  163,  227,  228. 

plastered,  36,  107,  156. 

sheathed,  144,  155. 

stone,    128,    140,    149,    182, 

212,  224. 
tapestry,  252. 
Wall-papers,  3,  20,  23,  48,  80, 

97,  132,  188-190. 
castellated,  237. 
Colonial,    46,    82,    172,    184, 

1 88,  196,  241. 
foliage,  81. 
Georgian,  55. 
Japanese,  97. 
landscape,    21,    57,    59,    119, 

164,  175,  193,  194,  251. 
Morris,  151,  152. 


Wall-papers,     Mother     Goose, 

121. 

Walpole,  Massachusetts,  127. 
Water  supply,  17,  204. 
Webster,  Daniel,  77. 
White  house  (Salem),  150. 
Wiggin,     Kate    Douglas,     190, 

197. 
Willowdale,  158-165. 

additions,  161. 

age,  158. 

dining-room,  162. 

garden,  160. 

lines,  159. 

location,  158. 

parlor,  163. 

tree,  162. 

woodwork,  165. 
Window  casings,  74. 

muntins,  73,  74. 

Windows,  6,  9,  34,  35,  52,  58, 
66,  73,  78,  102,  119,  141, 
148,  154,  218,  226. 

bay,  92,  224,  250,  252. 

casement,  74,  93,  94,  97,  193. 

dormer,  8,  34,  36,  40,  54,  92, 
97,     106,     115,    154,    161, 

171,  213,  224,  248. 
eyebrow,  212. 

French,   102,   143,   145,   163, 

172,  174,  206. 
gable,  104. 
oval,  44,  112. 
small-paned,  24,  34,  74,  132, 

228,  236,  251. 
triple,  45,  69,  82,  107. 
Window-seats,  36,  58,  67,  119, 

153,  194,  216,  218,  250. 
Wings,  see  ELLS. 


[263] 


INDEX 


Wood,  cypress,  41. 
gum,  67. 
hemlock,  98. 
oak,  155,  199,  200. 

fumed,  68. 

swamp,  21,  125. 
pine,  hard,  200. 

North  Carolina,  68,  199. 

pumpkin,  4,  158. 

swamp,  23. 

white,  2,  7,  41,  156. 
Woodwork,  3,  4,  7,  u,  12,  13, 

22,  23,  24,  25,  35,  45,  46, 


48,  55,  56,  58.  59.  68,  80, 

82,  95,   IO7,   I2O,    121,   122, 

131, 142, 155-158, 165, 184, 
192,  215,  219,  226, 227, 228. 
Worcester,  Massachusetts,  5. 
Wren,  Sir  Christopher,  146. 
Wright,  Henry  W.,  236. 
Wright  house,  236-241. 

furniture,  237-241.   • 

lighting,  238,  240. 

location,  236. 

remodeling,  236-240. 

type,  236,  237. 


[264] 


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